[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 126 (Friday, September 24, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1956-E1957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                THE VETERANS MILLENNIUM HEALTH CARE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HAROLD ROGERS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 24, 1999

  Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my concerns with an 
item contained in H.R. 2116, the Veterans Millennium Health Care Act, 
which passed the House last Tuesday with overwhelming support.
  Let me first say that I voted in favor of this bill, and believe its 
passage was long overdue. This bill ensures the continuation of vital 
healthcare services for our Nation's veterans into the next century by 
reforming many aspects of delivery and support services.
  The veterans who have so bravely served each and every one of us 
deserve our highest respect and they deserve a Federal Government that 
lives up to its commitment to them. With the aging of our veteran 
population, there is a greater need for long-term care, and this bill 
sends a strong message that America is prepared to live up to that 
commitment by expanding these services.
  Unfortunately, there is one concept contained in this legislation 
which I oppose. The Veterans Tobacco Trust fund, contained in section 
203 of the bill, requires that a certain percentage of any proceeds 
recovered from tobacco manufacturers, as a result of a U.S. Government 
lawsuit, be transferred to a special account within the Treasury to 
treat smoking-related illnesses for veterans. While I support the 
Federal Government providing adequate resources to the VA to combat and 
treat smoking-related or any other illnesses, this language legitimizes 
Federal lawsuits against tobacco companies. That is wrong.
  As we saw yesterday, the Justice Department finally unleashed its 
forces on tobacco by filing a suit in U.S. court, seeking to recover 
billions in health-related costs to the government. The administration 
is proceeding with a politically motivated, and legally suspect, attack 
on a private industry that manufactures and sells legal products. If 
successful, this action will further damage the farm economies of 
Kentucky and other States.
  I believe it is hypocritical for the Department to propose spending 
millions of taxpayer dollars trying to develop a legal basis for yet 
another lawsuit. After all, the Federal Government has earned billions 
of dollars on the sale of tobacco, through Federal excise taxes, and 
warned the public about the risks of smoking through labels for 
decades. It also is hypocritical for this body to pass an 
appropriations bill that denies funding for a tobacco lawsuit, to then 
turn around and set up a trust fund in anticipation of receiving 
proceeds from one.
  Section 203 is unnecessary for achieving the objective of improving 
veterans' health care. It also can be interpreted to implicitly 
encourage civil actions by the Federal Government made against private 
industries, including, but not limited to, tobacco related products.
  I hope that during the further consideration of H.R. 2116, the House 
and the other body will agree to omit section 203 from the bill.

[[Page E1957]]



                          ____________________