[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 28, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S1809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           VETERANS BENEFITS

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I thank my friend, the good Senator from 
Minnesota, for an excellent presentation and for reminding us about the 
needs of our veterans, particularly those who are having some service-
connected disability. The problems he has talked about that have 
affected his region are duplicated in my region of the country as well.
  I received a call just 2 days ago from a very good friend, a person 
who worked here in the Senate, about his uncle who is 86 years old and 
who was at Pearl Harbor. He was one of those wounded at Pearl Harbor, 
survived, and went on. He was wounded in the Second World War and is 
now destitute and trying to get into a service home just outside of 
Boston. The waiting line there is 2\1/2\ years.
  I remember very well speaking to those who came back from the war. At 
that time, they all believed they were fortunate to make it back, and 
they weren't asking very much of this country. We responded in a way in 
which all of us have been enormously appreciative with the GI bill. 
Many of these men and women took 4 or 5 years out of their lives to 
serve their country and risked life and death. We provided the GI bill 
to them so they could get an education. They got an education and went 
on to contribute to their country. As the Senator knows, for every $1 
invested in that education program, $8 was returned to the Treasury.
  But there was not a member of the Armed Forces in any of the services 
who didn't believe in committing this Nation to taking care of those 
who served this country, who suffered and were wounded in the line of 
battle. They believed they should live in peace, respect, and dignity 
during their golden years. They are not, and it is a national disgrace.
  We tried to join with others in this body. And I tell my good friend 
I will work with him closely, not on those relevant committees, but I 
think we have been here long enough to know we can make some difference 
in this area. I look forward to working with him. This is a problem 
that faces us in New England.
  I see my colleague from Rhode Island chairing the Senate this 
afternoon. I am sure he and his colleague, Senator Reid, have these 
kinds of cases as well. It is a matter of priority. We will join with 
him at a later time.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I thank my colleague.

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