Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, this week the House passed an amendment to the VA-HUD appropriations bill that enables the Department of Justice to pursue its pending litigation against the tobacco industry. This lawsuit seeks to recover billions of dollars spent by the VA and other Federal agencies to treat tobacco-related illnesses. A rider in this appropriations bill which would block the Justice Department from accepting these funds is a mirror image of the VA-HUD rider. The amendment I join with the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) and my other colleagues in supporting today simply allows the wheels of justice to move forward. Mr. Chairman, there is something terribly wrong with the leadership of this body. During the last Congress, despite overwhelming evidence that tobacco-related illnesses are linked to nicotine addiction developed during the military service, the Republican leadership of the House effectively denied veterans the opportunity to seek legitimate compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs.”