Guest guest Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 News _Congress_ (http://www.navytimes.com/channel.php?GQID=292929) | _Special Reports_ (http://www.navytimes.com/channel.php?GQID=292236) | _Frontline Photos_ (http://www.navytimes.com/channel.php?GQID=show) | March 28, 2006 Rep. Lane , Democratic veterans’ advocate, to retire By _Rick Maze_ (mailto:rmaze@...?subject=Question from NavyTimes.com reader) Times staff writer Democratic Rep. Lane of Illinois, a Vietnam-era veteran who pushed Congress to provide better health care and disability benefits to combat veterans, said Tuesday he will retire from Congress after 24 years. , 54, who announced eight years ago that he had Parkinson’s disease, has had increasing problems speaking in public, although aides have said his mind is still sharp. (http://ads5.mconetwork.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/www.navytimes.com/new.php\ /1019346317/300x250_1/OasDefault/06SMOY_Navy/sailornom inationsposter.gif/63666338373438343434323963353430) (http://ads5.mconetwork.com/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.ads/www.navytimes.com/new.php\ @300x250_1?x) In a statement announcing he will not run for re-election to a 13th term, said: “I fully expected that I would continue my work for the foreseeable future … but I have come to recognize that the time needed to address my health makes it difficult to wage a campaign and carry out my work as representative.†The senior Democrat on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee since 1997, made an early name for himself by demanding that Congress provide benefits to Vietnam veterans who had been exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange even if there was no clear proof that their health problems were caused by their service in Vietnam. It took four years to achieve that goal, and it placed at odds with some of his fellow Democrats as he tried at one point to replace longtime veterans’ committee chairman Rep. G.V. “Sonny†Montgomery, D-Miss. fell four votes short of unseating Montgomery but made a strong case that lawmakers needed to pay more attention to issues facing younger veterans. Some of the policies helped shape on the presumption of a service-connection for Agent Orange exposure ended up shaping the benefits policy for Gulf War veterans who claimed to suffer from the mysterious and elusive Gulf War syndrome. As ranking Democrat on the veteran’s committee, has been involved in bipartisan efforts to increase GI Bill education benefits and funding for veterans programs, but also has become more partisan in recent years as Democrats have attacked Republicans for under-funding the Department of Veterans Affairs despite unprecedented budget increases. “This decision is especially tough because this job means so much to me,†said . “I believe strongly in serving people and working to make a positive difference in their lives. Every day has been rewarding and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish.†, who served in the Marine Corps from 1969 to 1971 but did not see combat, included the words “Semper Fi†on his statement announcing his retirement from Congress. Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., the current veterans’ committee chairman, said will be missed. “His work here reflects the principles that have guided him throughout his career,†Buyer said. “Lane’s concern for our military men and women, the environment, and those less fortunate speaks to his character and commitment to make life better. But it is his unwavering support for the nation’s veterans that best describes his time in Congress.†Buyer, an Army reservist who served in the Persian Gulf War and then alongside on the veterans’ and armed services committees in Congress, said ’ work on Agent Orange, post-traumatic stress disorder, spina bifida and expanded services for female veterans “are just some of the causes†for which he will be “fondly remembered by his colleagues.†“Even when we disagreed on policy matters, I never doubted that his policies on veterans’ matters are rooted in his service as a United States Marine during the Vietnam Era,†Buyer said. “Lane is a man of integrity, compassion, and honor, and I will miss him.†Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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