[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9529]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO EXTEND ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS PENSION BENEFITS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. NICK J. RAHALL, II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 19, 2007

  Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, this week, with the support of the 
American Legion and West Virginia veteran John Peters, I am again 
introducing two bills that will honor those who have served our country 
so bravely in times of conflict. Both pieces of legislation will 
achieve this by extending benefits to veterans who have served in harms 
way, though not in a time of declared war.
  Throughout the history of the United States, our country has seen the 
personal courage and sacrifice by millions of Americans who have served 
in various wars and conflicts protecting our freedoms and our way of 
life. Madam Speaker, we have honored many of these fine men and women, 
but not all. Our current law only awards full pension benefits to those 
who have served in a designated ``period of war'' and excludes those 
who have fought valiantly in other parts of the world.
  Tom Hayes of American Legion Post 93 in Kenova, West Virginia 
recently acknowledged this mockery of our benefits system in an article 
from the Huntington Herald Dispatch in Huntington, West Virginia dated 
April 11, 2007. In this article, Mr. Hayes stated ``On Oct. 23, 1983, 
241 of our finest died in Beirut, Lebanon. By the time the hostility 
ended on Feb. 8, 1984, 270 Americans had died. Some 20,000 Americans 
fought on or around Grenada between Oct. 23 and Nov. 21, 1983. Nineteen 
were killed and 116 were wounded. In Panama, 23 were killed in action 
and 322 wounded between Dec. 20, 1989 and Jan. 31, 1990. Public Law 
101-478 expanded eligibility for membership in the American Legion to 
Veterans of Lebanon, Grenada, and Panama.'' In addition, Mr. Hayes 
wrote, ``Subsequent to Jan. 31, 1955, the Vietnam and Gulf War periods 
(Aug. 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975, and Aug. 2, 1990, to present) have made 
Korean Veterans eligible for disability pension, leaving approximately 
half who served between those periods not eligible along with veterans 
of Lebanon, Grenada, and Panama who answered the call to fight and who 
may now need financial help and are not eligible for a penny from the 
VA.''
  My legislation will end this injustice. My first bill will extend 
eligibility for veterans' pension benefits to those who served in the 
areas of the Korean Peninsula, Lebanon, Grenada, and other areas of 
armed conflict, where their service involved hostile fire or 
aggression. The second piece of legislation will extend benefits to 
veterans who have received the expeditionary medal, which is earned by 
those with whom the Joint Chiefs of Staff have determined were engaged 
where hostile action by foreign armed forces was imminent.
  The United States has sent service personnel to all corners of the 
globe and in every capacity they have made us proud. Unfortunately, 
when they return we do not always treat their honor with the respect 
that it deserves. We don't fund veterans' healthcare adequately and 
continue to let our veterans get caught in a never-ending bureaucracy 
denying them access to basic medical care. I am proud that this 
Congress has passed substantial Veterans benefits legislation in the 
past month and I hope that it is signs of more to come.
  Madam Speaker, I will end with this, we put these men and women in 
harm's way because we trusted them and their ability, and they ought to 
be able to trust our ability. These pieces of legislation would align 
the sacrifice made with the compensation awarded. I say that these 
veterans deserve the same benefits afforded their brothers and sisters 
in arms who participated in declared wars and especially those that are 
civilian employees and eligible for the same benefits. I urge the 
Congress to pass this legislation in a swift manner so that we may 
begin to respect and honor all of our veterans who have served.

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