With the election fast approaching, I'd like to bring to the attention of all military retirees and veterans the voting record of Sen. Paul Coverdell, R-Ga., pertaining to veterans affairs. In 1993, Sen. Coverdell was one of only 27 senators who voted to cut spending on new Veterans Administrations’ Inpatient facilities. In 1996, he voted to freeze veterans’ benefits for five years in order to pay for a $122 billion tax cut. In April, Sen. Coverdell voted to boost highway and mass transit spending by eliminating medical care for veterans with smoking-related illnesses, cutting veterans’ health benefits by $17 [billion]. In June, Sen.Coverdell voted against an amendment to the defense authorization bill that would have restored $329 million to VA health care programs depleted by earlier cuts. In July, Sen. Coverdell cast the deciding vote against a point or order that would have restored the $17 billion to medical care for veterans with smoke-related illnesses. I don't smoke, but I remember during World War II how we could buy cigarettes for 50 cents a carton and, while in Korea as an Infantry soldier, I know that every sundry box had some cartons of cigarettes in them. Also, all C-rations had free cigarettes. In Vietnam the C-rations also had cigarettes. So the military not only condoned smoking, but encouraged it. Therefore, it should be held partially responsible for these smoking-related illnesses . . . Michael Coles, who is seeking replace Sen. Coverdell, has promised that when he is elected he would place an amendment restoring our health care benefits on every bill that comes before the Senate. . . . If we want to maintain a strong military, people like Sen. Coverdell must be voted out of office. |
