[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 18, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S5921]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     ELIMINATION OF VETERAN BENEFITS FOR CAPITAL OFFENSE CONVICTION

  Mr. SPECTER. Madam President, it is my hope that yet this afternoon 
we will be able to take action on legislation cosponsored by Senator 
Torricelli, Senator Nickles, and Senator Inhofe which would deal with 
the issue of eliminating veterans benefits for anyone who has been 
convicted of a capital offense. This legislation was introduced 
yesterday and is designed to deal with the situation of Mr. Timothy 
McVeigh, who last week was convicted of murder in the first degree on 
168 murders arising out of the destruction of the Murrah Federal 
Building in Oklahoma City back on April 19, 1995.
  I was surprised to learn from my staff on the Veterans Affairs 
Committee that someone in Mr. McVeigh's situation would be able to 
receive veterans benefits. There are a wide variety of possible 
benefits. Exactly which ones apply to Mr. McVeigh would have to be 
determined, but they are benefits which would include employment 
training--obviously he cannot do that at the present time--education, 
other compensation, burial benefits. There was a gap in the law where 
someone who has been convicted of a number of crimes cannot receive 
veterans benefits--crimes like treason, sabotage, or espionage--but 
oddly enough, curiously enough, a conviction for murder in the first 
degree is not covered.
  Senator Torricelli had introduced legislation yesterday and so had I. 
I did not know this when I introduced my legislation and spoke briefly 
on the Senate floor yesterday afternoon about Senator Torricelli's 
legislation, but I found out about it later in the day and talked to 
him this morning, and we are coordinating our efforts to produce a 
joint bill.
  I discussed the matter yesterday with the majority leader, Senator 
Lott, who said he would work with us to have a prompt determination for 
the Senate, and we have put it on the hotline, and we are almost 
complete, with one Senator yet to respond, and there has been a 
checking now with the administration, with the White House, with the 
Executive Office of the President, and also with the Veterans' 
Administration to see if there is any objection. I do not believe that 
there will be any.
  It is my hope we would be able to take action fairly soon this 
afternoon, or, if we cannot, we may have to put it over until tomorrow. 
There has been considerable public interest and people expressing 
surprise that someone in Timothy McVeigh's situation could have 
veterans benefits and could, illustratively, be buried with heroes from 
the veterans wars of World War II, Vietnam, Korea, or the gulf war.
  So we are proceeding at this time. I wanted to alert my colleagues we 
are hopeful that bill will come up this afternoon and try to expedite 
the advice from both the White House and the Veterans' Administration 
as to their positions. It is my firm expectation that they will not 
have an objection but would rather welcome this legislation, but I 
wanted to inform my colleagues of the status at this time.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FAIRCLOTH. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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