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EXTENSION OF REMARKS March 24, 1998 The proposed settlement between major tobacco companies and various states will receive much attention by the Congress in the coming session. With so much money and emotion wrapped up in one issue, it is anybody’s guess how Congress will finally try to resolve this highly contentious issue.But no matter how Congress ultimately decides to address this issue, there is one group of Americans that cannot be left out of any tobacco settlement – our nation’s veterans. I share the Administration’s view that we should make it a major public health priority to reduce cigarette smoking and nicotine addiction, in part through establishing significant constraints on the ability of tobacco companies to continue to engage in deceptive and deadly marketing practices. A responsible, comprehensive tobacco settlement may be the best way to achieve this goal. But while the Administration has assumed our federal government will collect over $65 billion in proceeds from any tobacco settlement, its Fiscal Year 1999 (FY 99) budget fails to earmark any settlement money for the Department of Veterans Affairs, the federal agency that spends over $4 billion each year providing health care to veterans suffering from tobacco-related illnesses. If anybody deserves to be protected under the terms of a tobacco settlement, it is our nation’s veterans, many of whom became addicted to nicotine while in service to our nation. As the Resolution I am introducing today spells out in greater detail, tobacco companies and our federal government facilitated – if not encouraged – cigarette smoking in the military. From the time of the Civil War until 1956, the Army was required by law to provide a cheap and nearly endless supply of tobacco to its enlisted men. The Air Force still has a similar law on the books. Cigarettes have been distributed free of charge to members of the Armed Forces as part of their so-called "C-rations." As many as 75 percent of our World War II veterans began smoking as young adults during the course of their military service. Labeling requirements warning of the dangers of nicotine and tobacco usage did not become mandatory for products distributed through the military system until 1970, five years after such a requirement was made applicable to the civilian market. Tobacco products are still sold by military exchanges at substantially discounted rates, thus actively encouraging tobacco usage by military personnel and their dependents. "Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em" has been a watchword of the military culture for years. Given this historical backdrop, it should hardly be surprising that many veterans developed an addiction to nicotine in large part because our government and the tobacco companies made cigarettes so accessible and easy to smoke during their military service. But while our public servants have correctly criticized the tobacco companies for preying on millions of Americans with their highly manipulative marketing practices, the Administration’s proposed budget leaves the Department of Veterans Affairs and our veterans to fend for themselves in dealing with tobacco-related illnesses that haunt a substantial portion of our nation’s veteran population. And while many would agree that millions of Americans were victimized by misleading advertising and deceptive marketing practices that led them down the path to addiction, the Administration’s message appears to be that our veterans should have known better. The Resolution I have introduced today attempts to send a message that the Congress is not prepared to leave our veterans behind. The Department of Veterans Affairs should receive substantial amounts from any tobacco settlement so that it will have sufficient funds to meet the needs of our veterans suffering from tobacco-related illnesses. This resolution has already received support from most major veterans service organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), the Fleet Reserve Association, the Blinded Veterans Association, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. I am also pleased that Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ), the Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, has joined with me to introduce this bi-partisan, common sense resolution. Congressman Smith’s leadership on this issue is indicative of his long-standing commitment to our nation’s veterans, and I welcome his support. I urge all Members to join me in co-sponsoring this extremely important resolution. |