[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 45 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H2096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   100TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNITED STATES SUBMARINE SERVICE AND VETERANS 
                          HEPATITIS C EPIDEMIC

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor men who bravely served the 
United States in our most trying times as a Nation. Today marks the 
100th anniversary of the U.S. submarine force. Will Rogers once said, 
``We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and 
clap as they go by. Today we applaud the heroes and we honor fellow 
submariners who remain on eternal patrol. May we never forget them and 
their brave deeds.'' Those are the words of Mr. Rogers.
  The thoughts of Will Rogers live with us today. During the most 
serious challenges our Nation has faced, the men of the submarine 
service did their jobs above and beyond the call of duty. They were 
essential to creating victory in war and remain essential to keeping 
America strong in peace. War fought under the sea developed its own 
physics and harsh realities completely different from the experiences 
of any soldier who came before them. These men placed complete and 
total trust in their skippers and their skippers had to have the same 
faith in their men. During World War II, the price they paid for their 
successes was heavy. The submarine service carried the highest 
mortality rate of any U.S. service, more than a 20 percent loss of 
life. However, one has only to look at the statistics to see how 
effective our submariners really were. With only 1.6 percent of all 
Navy personnel, the submarine service sank over 55 percent of all 
Japanese ships sunk in the war, including one-third of all Japanese 
Men-of-War.
  President Roosevelt when he was secretly told of the success of our 
submarines said, ``I can only echo the words of Winston Churchill: 
`Never have so many owed so much to so few.' '' Those lost on 
submarines in the line of duty for their country will never be 
forgotten. We must not forget those who still serve in the silent 
service. Happy birthday to the U.S. submarine force.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to speak about something else that is 
important to all veterans in this Nation. I want to speak about what 
the Department of Veterans Affairs has described as an epidemic. I am 
talking about the staggeringly high infection rates of hepatitis C 
among our country's veterans population.

                              {time}  1915

  Hepatitis C is a fatal disease that can incubate for over 30 years 
before any symptoms occur. Over 70 percent of those Americans infected 
with Hepatitis-C are unaware that they even carry the virus. Treatment 
and testing are both available through the Veterans Administration for 
any veteran who believes that he or she is at risk.
  I am told that my area of the country has a 28 percent infection rate 
among veterans, while the general population experiences a 1.8 percent 
infection rate. I represent the greater New York area. With a 28 
percent infection rate, I call upon our veterans to be aware of this.
  In my hand I hold a very simple home test kit for Hepatitis-C, and I 
am calling on all of our veterans to try to get tested. The veterans 
can get one of these test kits if they go to a VA hospital or if they 
contact the American Liver Foundation at 1-800-GO-LIVER for information 
about these testing programs.
  Testing is very easy. It is a four-step process. It is very, very 
simple. First you pick up the phone and you get a personal ID number, 
then you take your sample, it is only one drop of blood, and you mail 
it in a pre-paid envelope. Ten days later you call for a completely 
confidential result.
  It is important that every veteran who has been exposed to any blood-
to-blood contact pick up one of these Hepatitis-C check kits and call 
1-800-GO-LIVER or go to their VA hospital, because it is important, 
especially in our greater New York area, that the veterans in that area 
get tested. Please get tested, especially if you are a veteran, before 
the symptoms of severe liver disease begin to show themselves. By the 
time that they do, it is almost too late.

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