I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 832

To restore veterans tobacco-related illness benefits as in effect before the

enactment of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 24, 1999

Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts (for himself, Mr. MOAKLEY, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. DINGELL, Mr.

FROST, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. REYES,

Ms. DELAURO, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. FORD, Mr. NEAL of

Massachusetts, Mr. BLAGOJEVICH, Mr. FILNER, Mr. BALDACCI, Ms.

LEE, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, Mr. SHOWS, Mr. BOUCHER, Ms. HOOLEY of

Oregon, Mr. COSTELLO, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. BISHOP, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. WYNN, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Ms. RIVERS, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr.

UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. GORDON, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mrs. MALONEY of New York,

Ms. KILPATRICK, and Mrs. THURMAN) introduced the following bill;

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To restore veterans tobacco-related illness benefits as in

effect before the enactment of the Transportation Equity

Act for the 21st Century.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Tobacco-Re3 lated Illness Benefits Restoration Act of 1999’’.

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

5 The Congress makes the following findings:

6 (1) Until the 1980’s, use of tobacco products

7 was an acceptable element of the military culture.

8 (2) From the beginning of United States mili9 tary history through the present, the Federal Gov10 ernment has made tobacco products readily available

11 for military personnel.

12 (3) The Federal Government, until 1998, pro13 vided tobacco products for military personnel at

14 below market value in military commissaries, ex15 changes, and clubs around the world.

16 (4) The Federal Government, through the pe17 riod of the Vietnam War, provided free tobacco

18 products to military personnel in C-rations and

19 squad packs.

20 (5) In the 1960’s, before official notification of

21 the health hazards associated with the use of tobacco

22 products, over half of the inpatients in Veterans’ Ad23 ministration medical centers suffered from tobacco24 related illnesses.

25 (6) Warning labels began appearing on tobacco

26 products sold in the private sector in 1965, but did
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1 not appear on tobacco products sold in military com2 missaries, exchanges, and clubs until 1970.

3 SEC. 3. RESTORATION OF VETERANS TOBACCO-RELATED

4 BENEFITS.

5 (a) REPEAL OF LAW LIMITING ESTABLISHMENT OF

6 SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR VETERANS’ DISABILITIES RE7 LATING TO USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS.—(1) Section

8 1103 of title 38, United States Code, is repealed.

9 (2) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter

10 11 of such title is amended by striking the item relating

11 to section 1103.

12 (b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this

13 section shall apply to any claim for compensation received

14 by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs before, on, or after

15 the date of the enactment of this Act.

16 SEC. 4. FUNDS NOT REQUIRED TO BE OFFSET FROM OTHER

17 PROGRAMS.

18 The Director of the Office of Management and Budg19 et may not make any estimate of changes in direct spend20 ing outlays under section 252(d) of the Balanced Budget

21 and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C.

22 902(d)) for any fiscal year resulting from the enactment

23 of this Act.

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