[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 133 (Tuesday, September 30, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H8164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PUT THE GULF WAR VETERANS FIRST BECAUSE THEY PUT OUR COUNTRY FIRST

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Doggett] is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, America should never forget the 
contribution of the men and women of our Armed Forces in the gulf war. 
Unfortunately many of the families of our veterans of that gulf war can 
never forget it because the lingering consequences of illness and 
disability continue to afflict many of those who participated in our 
Nation's defense in that gulf war.
  Indeed, those classified as having so-called gulf war syndrome, who 
were exposed to toxins, exposed to poison substances, and who continue 
to experience a wide variety of very serious symptoms as a result of 
their service for our country in the gulf war.
  In all, some 3,000 Desert Storm veterans have filed claims concerning 
their illnesses against frozen assets of the Iraqi Government. It was 
following the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990, that the United 
States froze $1.3 billion of Iraqi assets in this country. Those 
veterans should get the priority with reference to any claims that they 
might have against those assets.
  I have up for the consideration of this House later today a motion 
regarding these matters. Before reviewing the text of that motion, let 
me cover very briefly the history of this matter.
  In 1991, the U.N. Security Council declared in a resolution that 
``Iraq * * * is liable under international law for any direct loss, 
damage, or injury to foreign governments, nationals, and corporations 
as a result of Iraq's unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait.'' I 
think the type of claim that our gulf war veterans have is the very 
type of claim contemplated by that international resolution.
  Accordingly, in 1994, when the Democrats were in charge of this 
House, legislation was passed through this House by an overwhelming 
majority, under the leadership then of the chair of the House Foreign 
Affairs Committee, the honorable gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Lee 
Hamilton, that established an Iraq Claims Fund. I would quote from that 
bill in saying ``before deciding any other claim against the Government 
of Iraq, the United States Commission shall, to the extent practical, 
decide all pending noncommercial claims of members of the United States 
armed forces.'' This body went on record in giving a priority to those 
who put their life and limb at risk for the future of our Nation.
  Unfortunately, quite a different turn has occurred in this Congress 
in this session. Legislation has been approved and is pending in 
conference committee at present that would place these same gulf war 
veterans in a position where they would never be allowed to recover one 
red cent against the Government of Iraq.
  And why is that? Because the separate commercial claims that existed 
before this war ever occurred of the seven largest tobacco companies 
and of other commercial enterprises have been elevated over our 
veterans. Our veterans have been left in last place with no real right 
to make a recovery against these frozen Iraqi assets.
  This all took place at the behest of Senator Jesse Helms of North 
Carolina, who inserted it into the State Department authorization that 
is pending in conference committee. Fortunately, this House has not yet 
acceded to his demands. I would say that while he may be able to block 
an Ambassador to Mexico, he ought not to be able to block the claims of 
these 3,000 people who served with valor our country.
  My motion would instruct our conferees, here in the House, to the 
State Department bill to not accede to the demands of those who would 
place the tobacco companies and the other commercial claims ahead of 
our veterans, who deserve to be heard first and foremost for what they 
have done for this country.
  I would draw the attention of the House to communications from the 
National Gulf War Resource Center which concludes in a letter to this 
House by saying, ``Senator Helms' legislation, if passed, would amount 
to a grotesque injustice against gulf war veterans poisoned by chemical 
warfare agents and other toxins during the gulf war. We ask you to 
consider the interests of gulf war veterans when voting on this 
legislation.''
  That is what I will be asking my colleagues to do later today as we 
take up and consider this motion: Put the gulf war veterans first 
because they put our country first.

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