[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 3, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H23]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE KEEP OUR PROMISE TO AMERICA'S MILITARY RETIREES ACT 
                           IN 107TH CONGRESS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Shows) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SHOWS. Madam Speaker, today the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Norwood) and I are introducing the Keep Our Promise to America's 
Military Retirees Act. This is the successor bill to H.R. 2966 and H.R. 
3573 which we introduced in the 106th Congress.
  Madam Speaker, the United States is the greatest military power in 
the world. We could never have achieved such superiority without the 
millions of Americans who risked all to serve this great country. These 
patriots put the security of home and family on the line to defend the 
freedoms of all Americans. We do not hesitate to ask American men and 
women to make military service a career. And what do they ask for in 
return? All they ask is that the promises made when they entered the 
service are fulfilled when they retire.
  Americans who agreed to serve a military career, at least 20 years, 
to protect our democracy were promised lifetime health care benefits by 
recruiters. But for many, the promised health care was not delivered. 
The Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act would restore 
adequate health care to our military retirees by enabling them to elect 
coverage under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
  Last year, Congress responded to overwhelming grassroots support for 
the Keep Our Promise Act by including portions of the bill in the 2001 
National Defense Authorization Act. Congress took the historic step of 
extending TRICARE, the military health care program, to military 
retirees beyond the age of 65 beginning in FY 2002. Finally, elderly 
military retirees will be able to keep TRICARE as a supplement to 
Medicare just like elderly civilian Federal retirees can keep their 
FEHBP as a supplement to Medicare.
  Unfortunately, Congress did not address the pressing health care 
needs of military retirees under age 65 who must continue coverage 
under a TRICARE program that is woefully inadequate for many of them. 
TRICARE essentially offers health care benefits to retirees at military 
treatment facilities on a space-available basis. That is, they can pay 
for treatment if there is room for them at a military base. But with 
downsizing and base closures, access to military health care is 
difficult. It is impossible for those who cannot travel even short 
distances. And many retirees who do not live near bases cannot find a 
civilian doctor who participates in TRICARE. The Promise Act will allow 
retirees who are not well served by TRICARE to participate in the 
Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan.
  Madam Speaker, retirees who entered the service prior to June 7, 
1956, when the program now known as TRICARE was enacted actually saw 
much of their promised and earned benefits taken away. Under the Keep 
Our Promise Act, the United States Government would keep its word to 
this most elderly group of retirees by paying the full cost of FEHBP 
enrollment. Military retirees across the country will tell you that 
this is landmark legislation to fulfill the government's broken promise 
for which they have been fighting for years. Madam Speaker, when you or 
I or anyone else buys something on the open market, we are always 
warned to let the buyer beware. But military recruiters are not 
salesmen. Recruiters are agents of the United States Government, the 
American people.
  Should Americans doubt their own government? We owe it to our 
military retirees who were led to believe they would receive lifetime 
health care that the government will be there for them. Madam Speaker, 
it is up to Congress to adequately fund TRICARE so it can provide the 
level of health care we owe our military retirees. And we must make 
sure that the Defense Department administers TRICARE in a manner 
consistent with that goal. Right now TRICARE does not properly serve 
many of our military retirees. They need to be treated fairly and 
compassionately. This is what the Keep Our Promise Act does.
  Passing this bill will let America's military retirees who served in 
World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf know that we honor 
and respect them by keeping our word to them. And passing this bill 
will get the attention of the next generation of Americans who must not 
be discouraged from military service.
  Madam Speaker, we should keep our promise to America's Military 
retirees. We should pass the Keep Our Promise to America's Military 
Retirees Act.

                          ____________________