[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 166 (Wednesday, October 25, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S15703]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MENTALLY DISABLED VETERANS

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, on September 26, during the 
Senate debate on H.R. 2099, the VA-HUD appropriations bill, I offered 
an amendment to strike a provision in the bill which would discontinue 
disability compensation payments to certain mentally disabled veterans 
when their savings reach $25,000. Unfortunately, my amendment was not 
adopted. I continue to believe strongly that this provision should not 
be enacted and urge the conferees on H.R. 2099 to drop it.
  Mr. President, as I noted in that debate, this provision 
discriminates against a small group of veterans: those who are mentally 
disabled. It does terrible harm to these veterans. One proponent of the 
provision expressed the view that the provision does not affect the 
standard of living or the condition of any veteran. I disagree.
  Mr. President, let me describe the situation of a veteran who called 
my office to explain how this provision affects her. She is from New 
Mexico. She receives VA compensation for a mental disorder that 
resulted from her military service. At times over the years, her 
disability has been particularly bad and she has been rated incompetent 
by VA. Right now, she is doing better and is not rated incompetent. 
However, she never knows when things will turn bad again and she will 
again be at risk of being rated incompetent.
  Because of this risk, she told committee staff that, if this 
provision is enacted, she will not go to the VA hospital for treatment 
because she is afraid they will determine her condition is worse and 
they will recommend she be rated incompetent. If that happened, she 
would lose her compensation. Then she would lose her house because she 
could not make the mortgage payments. That is what she said. So, she 
will not seek treatment.
  Mr. President, I understood that this bill would take away disability 
compensation from incompetent veterans whose estates exceed $25,000, 
and I have opposed it as rank discrimination against a small group of 
veterans who are unable to protect themselves. Until this veteran 
called, however, I had not focused on how this provision would inhibit 
the very people we are trying to help from seeking medical treatment. I 
am convinced that this woman's condition will be affected by this 
provision. She is so afraid of this provision she will not seek the 
help she needs--help she has earned--help she is entitled to. That is 
what this provision does to mentally disabled veterans. That is why it 
should be dropped in the conference report.

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