Washington, D.C.--Sixth District U.S. Congressman Frank Lucas supported his colleague Rep. J.C. Watts (OK-4) who introduced an amendment on the floor of the House in attempt to secure health benefits for veterans in the future. The amendment was accepted on the floor of the House with a vote of 420 to 1. The amendment is attached to the FY 1999 Defense Authorization Bill that will be voted on in the House later today.

"J.C. has worked long and hard to push for a vote on other bills similar to this amendment," Lucas said. "I have supported everyone of those as a cosponsor and I was pleased to finally be able to vote for health benefits for our veterans today.

"Military retirees were promised lifetime health care as a condition of their military service," Lucas continued. "We need to make good on that promise, and soon.

"They are the only federal employees who lose their employer provided health care at age 65," Lucas pointed out. "We must correct this severe inequity."

The amendment would authorize the DOD to conduct a demonstration program to enroll Medicare-eligible military retirees, age 65 and above, in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). This trial program would be conducted over three years at six to ten sites around the country.

"Right now, when military retirees reach age 65 they are locked out of the Department of Defense's health benefit program TRICARE because of budgetary constraints," Lucas said. "FEHBP is the plan I am on as a federal official. It works. We just need to get this trial running, prove its success, and offer it to veterans and their families."

The cost of the demonstration program is offset by the sale of National Defense Stockpile materials. The costs are capped at $100 million per year, so it will not bust the balanced budget caps on discretionary spending.

For this amendment to become law, the Defense Authorization Bill must pass the House and Senate and be signed by the President.