[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 17, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S5810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SPECTER:
  S. 923. A bill to deny veterans benefits to persons convicted of 
Federal capital offenses; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


                 veterans' benefits denial legislation

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, in the Veterans' Affairs Committee, which 
I chair, we have been considering the situation of Mr. Timothy McVeigh, 
who has certain entitlements as a veteran. Curiously, the committee has 
concluded that a conviction for murder in the first degree does not 
significantly affect Mr. McVeigh's entitlements or benefits as a 
veteran.
  Veterans who are convicted of certain criminal offenses forfeit their 
benefits. Those offenses, however, are limited to convictions for 
mutiny and aiding the enemy; spying; certain national security crimes, 
such as treason, sabotage, disclosing classified or defense 
information, interfering with the Armed Forces during a time of war, 
communications of classified information by a Government employee to an 
agent of a foreign government; and certain nuclear material crimes, 
such as the unauthorized possession or transfer of nuclear material or 
receipt and communication of restricted data.
  Surprisingly, my staff on the Veterans' Affairs Committee has 
concluded that Mr. Timothy McVeigh would be entitled to veterans 
benefits, notwithstanding his conviction on 11 counts including the 
murder of some 168 people in the Oklahoma City bombing of the Federal 
building. He remains eligible for such benefits, including burial 
benefits, since he was not convicted of any of the crimes I just 
listed.
  Because of that, I now introduce legislation which would deny veteran 
benefits to any person who is convicted of a State or Federal capital 
offense. The specific provision would be:

       Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who is 
     convicted of a Federal or State capital offense is ineligible 
     for benefits provided to veterans of the Armed Forces of the 
     United States pursuant to title 38, United States Code.

  This bill would prevent Mr. McVeigh from having any veterans benefits 
in light of his conviction on 11 counts, including murder in the first 
degree. I send this bill to the desk and ask that it be filed with the 
appropriate authority.
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