John Kerry: “I also recall, not just the degree to which there was a kind of dependency built into the system that both of us were in…”

“I also recall, not just the degree to which there was a kind of dependency built into the system that both of us were in in the Navy, but often at the end of a particular exercise, or General Quarters, the announcement would come over the loudspeaker on the ship saying, ``The smoking lamp is lit,'' and there was this sort of automatic rush to smoke. It was part of the doctrine, if you will--the ethic. And an awful lot of veterans, as a consequence of that and other things, many other things through the course of life, are today suffering. They are suffering as a consequence of that. So I think the Senator is right on target in his desire to address that. I also thank Senator McCain for his long efforts with respect to this particular bill. In all of the debate on the floor of the Senate, it has been lost that this is a bill that was reported out of committee by a vote of 19 to 1, reflecting a considerable consensus about at least a beginning, a starting place.”