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“PUT THE GULF WAR VETERANS FIRST BECAUSE THEY PUT OUR COUNTRY FIRST” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H8164 on Sept. 30, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PUT THE GULF WAR VETERANS FIRST BECAUSE THEY PUT OUR COUNTRY FIRST
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 21, 1997, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Doggett] is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, America should never forget the contribution of the men and women of our Armed Forces in the gulf war. Unfortunately many of the families of our veterans of that gulf war can never forget it because the lingering consequences of illness and disability continue to afflict many of those who participated in our Nation's defense in that gulf war.
Indeed, those classified as having so-called gulf war syndrome, who were exposed to toxins, exposed to poison substances, and who continue to experience a wide variety of very serious symptoms as a result of their service for our country in the gulf war.
In all, some 3,000 Desert Storm veterans have filed claims concerning their illnesses against frozen assets of the Iraqi Government. It was following the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990, that the United States froze $1.3 billion of Iraqi assets in this country. Those veterans should get the priority with reference to any claims that they might have against those assets.
I have up for the consideration of this House later today a motion regarding these matters. Before reviewing the text of that motion, let me cover very briefly the history of this matter.
In 1991, the U.N. Security Council declared in a resolution that
``Iraq * * * is liable under international law for any direct loss, damage, or injury to foreign governments, nationals, and corporations as a result of Iraq's unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait.'' I think the type of claim that our gulf war veterans have is the very type of claim contemplated by that international resolution.
Accordingly, in 1994, when the Democrats were in charge of this House, legislation was passed through this House by an overwhelming majority, under the leadership then of the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the honorable gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Lee Hamilton, that established an Iraq Claims Fund. I would quote from that bill in saying ``before deciding any other claim against the Government of Iraq, the United States Commission shall, to the extent practical, decide all pending noncommercial claims of members of the United States armed forces.'' This body went on record in giving a priority to those who put their life and limb at risk for the future of our Nation.
Unfortunately, quite a different turn has occurred in this Congress in this session. Legislation has been approved and is pending in conference committee at present that would place these same gulf war veterans in a position where they would never be allowed to recover one red cent against the Government of Iraq.
And why is that? Because the separate commercial claims that existed before this war ever occurred of the seven largest tobacco companies and of other commercial enterprises have been elevated over our veterans. Our veterans have been left in last place with no real right to make a recovery against these frozen Iraqi assets.
This all took place at the behest of Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina, who inserted it into the State Department authorization that is pending in conference committee. Fortunately, this House has not yet acceded to his demands. I would say that while he may be able to block an Ambassador to Mexico, he ought not to be able to block the claims of these 3,000 people who served with valor our country.
My motion would instruct our conferees, here in the House, to the State Department bill to not accede to the demands of those who would place the tobacco companies and the other commercial claims ahead of our veterans, who deserve to be heard first and foremost for what they have done for this country.
I would draw the attention of the House to communications from the National Gulf War Resource Center which concludes in a letter to this House by saying, ``Senator Helms' legislation, if passed, would amount to a grotesque injustice against gulf war veterans poisoned by chemical warfare agents and other toxins during the gulf war. We ask you to consider the interests of gulf war veterans when voting on this legislation.''
That is what I will be asking my colleagues to do later today as we take up and consider this motion: Put the gulf war veterans first because they put our country first.
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