[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 181 (Wednesday, November 15, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S17045-S17046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           DISABLED VETERANS

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I am here today to question this 
administration and the scaring of our veterans in this country. I was 
in Amarillo, TX, last Saturday and I was talking to a disabled veteran 
who depends very much on his veterans pension for himself and his 
family. He said, ``Are we going to be paid?'' because the news media 
were saying no.
  I said, ``Of course you will be paid.'' There is no way that a 
veteran's pension is any different from a welfare recipient's stipend 
or a Medicare part B payment. There is no difference whatsoever. Yet, 
amazingly to me, the Veterans' Administration is telling people who 
call that, in fact, veterans benefits will not be paid.
  Mr. President, I question a President who says if, in fact, this 
stalemate continues, which, of course, we hope it will not, but if it 
does, that he will prioritize the payment of welfare recipients over 
the payment of our veterans who have served our country. It is 
unthinkable.

  However, just to make sure that this does not happen, I talked to 
Senator Alan Simpson this morning, who is the chairman of the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee. He is going to cosponsor with me--it will be the 
Simpson-Hutchison bill--a bill that will, in fact, direct this 
administration to pay veterans benefits. We are going to direct this 
administration to put veterans in the same category as welfare 
recipients, Social Security recipients, hospitalization under Medicare 
recipients, and Medicare part B doctors payments as well. It should not 
even be a question.
  Nevertheless, in order to make sure that this administration cannot 
play games with the veterans of this country, Senator Simpson and I are 
going to introduce a bill as soon as we can get it written, this 
afternoon, that will make sure that the veterans of this country will 
not have to worry if, in fact, this stalemate continues.
  I wish the President of the United States would immediately say it is 
not necessary to pass this kind of law. I hope the President will be 
able to put out a little release this afternoon that says the veterans 
do not have to worry. The incoming cashflow is there and the President 
knows it. The head of the Veterans' Administration knows it. There is 
no reason to have these scare tactics used on the veterans of our 
country who have served our country and who deserve to be put in the 
highest of all categories. And, yet, this President is doing that. I 
call on him to say our bill, which is being readied right now, is not 
necessary and the veterans do not have to worry. He can do it with the 
stroke of a pen or a mere press release.
  The priority is set. There is no question. I have consulted every 
congressional expert, every resource, every historical circumstance 
that I can find. Veterans have never been threatened. There is no 
reason for them to be threatened now.
  Mr. President, Senator Simpson and I are going to introduce this 
legislation 

[[Page S17046]]
this afternoon. I hope it is not necessary, but we are going to make 
sure that games will not be played with the veterans of this country. I 
thank the Senator from North Carolina for yielding me this time for 
this very important subject.
  I just want to say to the veterans of America, we will take care of 
you. We will make sure that our commitment to you is kept. It is the 
highest priority that I have.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Carolina.
  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, first I ask the distinguished Senator from 
Texas if she and Senator Simpson would add my name as a cosponsor.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Certainly.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, will the Senator from North Carolina 
yield for a moment so I can propound a unanimous consent?
  Mr. HELMS. I am sorry, I did not hear.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wisconsin is asking if you 
will yield for a moment so he can offer a unanimous-consent request.
  Mr. HELMS. Just so the time is not charged to me.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent I be recognized 
to speak after the Senator from North Carolina.
  Mr. KYL. Reserving the right to object, the Senator from Wisconsin 
was here before I was, but I would like to add to that request that I 
be recognized following the Senator from Wisconsin.
  Mrs. BOXER. I would like to add to that request that I be allowed to 
follow the Senator from Arizona and after that the Senator from North 
Dakota.
  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I am going to have to object. Senator 
Faircloth is the cosponsor of the bill that I am about to introduce. I 
think he is entitled to be heard, too.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is objection to the request.
  The Senator from North Carolina is recognized for 5 minutes.
  MR. HELMS. I thank the Chair.
  (The remarks of Mr. Helms and Mr. Faircloth pertaining to the 
introduction of S. 1413 are located in today's Record under 
``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wisconsin.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Thank you, Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent to be 
allowed to speak for up to 5 minutes as if in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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