[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 23, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H4966-H4967]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                VETERANS TOBACCO TRUST FUND ACT OF 1998

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, this morning I want to talk about a very 
important issue that affects all of our veterans. There has been a 
great deal of discussion about veterans and tobacco-related illnesses. 
My purpose this morning is to acquaint Members with legislation I plan 
to introduce this week.
  Mr. Speaker, the measure I intend to introduce is entitled the 
Veterans Tobacco Trust Fund Act of 1998. What this would do is 
guarantee that a portion of any funds that are received from a national 
tobacco settlement law, if it occurs, be dedicated to health care for 
veterans. Very simple.
  Many might argue that not one veteran was coerced into smoking. My 
response to that assertion is that many

[[Page H4967]]

young men were exposed to tobacco for the first time when they entered 
the military service. Free cigarettes were provided to them and thus a 
habit was started during that time of service.
  We must ensure that any man or woman who became addicted and 
consequently developed health problems due to the consumption of 
tobacco must be given the health care they were promised when they 
enlisted to serve this country.
  My bill would establish a trust fund to be known as the Veterans 
Tobacco Trust Fund, providing that if a tobacco settlement is enacted, 
then $3 billion would be credited to the trust fund. The funds would be 
made available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish medical 
care and to conduct medical research, rehabilitation research, and 
health systems research related to tobacco addiction.

                              {time}  0915

  I also want to clear up an issue which has caused a great deal of 
consternation among the veterans and here on the House floor. I am 
referring, of course, to the recent vote we had on H.R. 2400, the 
Transportation Equity Act.
  First, let us be clear on how this evolved. This was proposed by the 
Clinton administration in the fiscal year 1999 budget, VA budget, in 
which the President requested that VA disability benefits for tobacco-
related illnesses be repealed. I opposed the President's proposal and 
its inclusion in H.R. 2400, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 
century. I voted for the Obey amendment that sent H.R. 2400 back to 
conference and to instruct the conferees to remove the language 
reducing service-connected disability compensation to veterans for 
smoking-related illnesses. Unfortunately this motion was defeated.
  I also joined the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump), chairman of our 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, in sending a letter to the Speaker and 
to the minority leader, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), 
voicing strong opposition to any provision that would offset veterans' 
benefits to pay for other programs.
  Regrettably, we were not successful in our effort to prevent the 
administration's proposal to repeal VA disability compensation benefits 
for tobacco-related disabilities from being passed in part of H.R. 
2400. However, we did prevail in providing benefit increases for 
veterans going to college on the GI bill, severely disabled veterans 
needing modifications for automobiles or their homes, and widows of 
veterans who died from service-connected disability.
  As chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, I am committed to finding 
the funds to compensate the VA for the cost of providing health care 
for them, including smoking-related illnesses. That is why I developed 
the Veterans Tobacco Trust Fund Bill, so that funding will be made 
available should a national tobacco settlement be enacted into law.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in my efforts to help 
our Nation's veterans and sponsor my bill.

                          ____________________