I

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 879

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

MARCH 6, 2001

Mr. FRANK (for himself, Mr. EVANS, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr.

SANDERS, Mrs. KELLY, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. OLVER, Mr.

PRICE of North Carolina, Ms. RIVERS, Mr. TIERNEY, Mrs. MALONEY of

New York, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. PAUL, Ms. MCKINNEY,

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. WAXMAN, and Ms. JACKSONLEE of Texas) 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,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Tobacco-Re5 lated Illness Benefits Restoration Act of 2001’’.
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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

2 The Congress makes the following findings:

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

4 was an acceptable element of the military culture.

5 (2) From the beginning of United States mili6 tary history through the present, the Federal Gov7 ernment has made tobacco products readily available

8 for military personnel.

9 (3) The Federal Government, until 1998, pro10 vided tobacco products for military personnel at

11 below market value in military commissaries, ex12 changes, and clubs around the world.

13 (4) The Federal Government, through the pe14 riod of the Vietnam War, provided free tobacco

15 products to military personnel in C-rations and

16 squad packs.

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

18 the health hazards associated with the use of tobacco

19 products, over half of the inpatients in Veterans’ Ad20 ministration medical centers suffered from tobacco21 related illnesses.

22 (6) Warning labels began appearing on tobacco

23 products sold in the private sector in 1965, but did

24 not appear on tobacco products sold in military com25 missaries, exchanges, and clubs until 1970.
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1 SEC. 3. RESTORATION OF VETERANS TOBACCO-RELATED

2 BENEFITS.

3 (a) REPEAL OF LAW LIMITING ESTABLISHMENT OF

4 SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR VETERANS’ DISABILITIES RE5 LATING TO USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS.—(1) Section

6 1103 of title 38, United States Code, is repealed.

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

8 11 of such title is amended by striking the item relating

9 to section 1103.

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

11 section shall apply to any claim for compensation received

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

13 the date of the enactment of this Act.

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

15 PROGRAMS.

16 The Director of the Office of Management and Budg17 et may not make any estimate of changes in direct spend18 ing outlays under section 252(d) of the Balanced Budget

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

20 902(d)) for any fiscal year resulting from the enactment

21 of this Act.

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