"GULF WAR SYNDROME" . . . HELP FROM THE HILL

The House approved a Clinton Administration-backed bill to give benefits to vets with "Gulf War syndrome," rolling over reservations from Pentagon officials and doctors who said they couldn't document the flu-like illness's cause. The legislation, soon to come before the Senate, also provides $15 million for medical research and $50 million for counseling for Gulf War veterans and their families. More than 700 U.S. troops have reported symptoms that include fatigue, hair loss and intestinal and respiratory problems. Suspected causes include the oil fires set by Iraqi forces in Kuwait during the 1991 war and immunizations given by the U.S. Army for protection against gas warfare.