[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 1, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H2561-H2562]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                VETERANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Strickland) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. STRICKLAND. Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to talk about our 
veterans, the way we are treating our veterans; and I would like to 
give a little history of what has happened in the recent past.
  Until about 1 year ago, the veteran that went to one of our VA 
hospitals or our clinics to get medication was expected to pay $2 in 
copayment for a prescription. That, unfortunately, was raised; and 
veterans across this country are aware of the fact that they are now 
required not to pay $2 per prescription copayment, but they are 
required to pay $7 per prescription. I thought that was an unwise 
decision on the part of the VA, and I introduced legislation to repeal 
that increase and to return it back to the $2 per prescription level.
  I was absolutely shocked when the President sent his budget to this 
House

[[Page H2562]]

and in the President's budget he requested that that copayment not be 
$7 a prescription but increased to $15 per prescription. Think of that. 
At a time of war, when we are creating more veterans, when we mouth the 
words in this Chamber about how thankful we are for those who have 
fought past battles, that we would actually take an action that could 
increase the cost of medicines for veterans who need those medicines, 
veterans who have served this country with honor, veterans who may be 
on fixed incomes.
  Now, perhaps if a veteran only has one prescription, a $15 copay 
would be tolerable. But many of our veterans get 10 or more 
prescriptions per month. Fifteen times 10 is $150. I am shocked that 
this administration, that this President, at a time when he and the 
leadership of the other party are trying to give a $726 billion tax cut 
that will mostly go to people who are already reasonably wealthy, that 
we would at the same time want to place an additional burden on our 
veterans in terms of the cost of their prescription medications. It 
does not make sense.
  But, Madam Speaker, it gets worse. The President, in his budget, also 
asks that we impose a $250 annual enrollment fee on many of our 
veterans just to participate in the VA health care system. Think of 
that, an increase in cost for prescription drugs from $7 to $15 and an 
imposition of an annual $250 enrollment fee. But it gets worse. The VA 
also, under the direction of the President and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, has imposed what is, for all practical purposes, a 
gag order on the VA health care providers. They are no longer able to 
market VA services to our veterans.
  In other words, this Congress has passed legislation guaranteeing 
certain benefits to our veterans. Some of those veterans may not be 
aware of what they are legally entitled to receive, but the VA is 
prohibiting the health care providers from proactively spreading the 
word informing veterans as to what they are entitled to receive. Very 
specifically, they have been told they cannot make public service 
announcements about VA health benefits programs. They cannot send out 
newsletters describing benefits and encouraging veterans to 
participate. And, quite frankly, most participation in health fairs has 
been prohibited.
  I think these actions are shameless and shameful. I just simply do 
not understand. We are a wealthy country. We are so wealthy that we are 
taking our Federal resources and we have decided to give those 
resources in the form of tax breaks to some of the richest people in 
this country. Millionaires and billionaires will get up to a $90,000 
per-year tax cut; but at the same time, we are asking our veterans to 
pay more for medicine, to pay an annual enrollment fee, and we are 
prohibiting the marketing of veterans services.
  This is just shameful. I do not understand it. I simply find it 
incredulous that we would be pursuing these policies at this time, 
especially at this time, when we have so many of our young men and 
women in harm's way. I believe the best way to honor those who are 
fighting for us today is to show deep respect and to keep our promises 
to those who have fought our past wars, the people that Tom Brokaw and 
others have referred to as the Greatest Generation.
  I think the American people need to be aware of some of the things 
that I have talked about this afternoon. I could go on, because the 
shortchanging of our veterans is something that is a deep problem. It 
is contradictory to much of what is spoken in this Chamber.

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