  Vaccine Issues A. Daniel Woska, Professional Corporation 120 N. Robinson, Ste. 2720 OKC, OK 73102 405-235-1551 AWOSKA@AOL.COM NOTE: send your name, address, and phone number to the Attorney below. The Vaccine Adverse Events reporting System (VAERS) Iraqi Frozen US Assets Issue Pitts and Associates - Attorneys at Law The U.S. Treasury Department Foreign Assets Control has confirmed to me that the Iraqi assets in the U.S., frozen at the time of the invasion in August, 1990, are still frozen, drawing interest, and amount to about $1.2 Billion. The Foreign Claim Settlement Commission ("FCSC", a subdivision of the Justice Department) attorney David Bradley told me today when I called him that there is pending recent legislation, H.R. 1757, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1998-99, that is already in Conference Committee, that would give the Iraqi money to the FCSC to distribute. The House version says nothing about the Iraqi money. The Senate version, which is Senator Jesse Helms' version as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, gives the frozen Iraqi money to the FCSC, but does not include the Gulf War veterans as those who can claim against it! This is despite and contrary to the FCSC regulations form in 1996, which specifically included "all claims of U.S. military personnel or their survivors which arose out of Desert Shield and Desert Storm." Almost all of you have previously registered with the FCSC. Senator Helms' bill would only give the Iraqi money to contractual claims (mainly Iraqi debts to tobacco and grain companies) and those injured people arising from the U.S.S. Stark incident before the Gulf War. Senator Helms' version completely ignores and cuts out the ill Gulf War veterans and their families. His version would obviously increase the amount of money that the tobacco companies from his state of North Carolina will recover from the Iraqi money that is available to pay for claims. Unless opposition builds to this, and quickly, Congress will pass this bill, and the President will sign it, without either of them or the public really knowing of the controversy or the injustices that the bill contains. As soon as possible, and today if possible, you should write a letter expressing in your own words why you think the proposed law, H.R. 1757, which would exclude the Gulf vets, is unfair. You might point out that large tobacco companies just got a multi-billion dollar tax cut from Congress. They do not need this money. With a shrinking VA budget, and no cure in sight, the 100,000 to 150,000 ill Gulf War veterans do need the money. It is appropriate to be passionate though respectfully so in your letter. Tell them that you do expect a reply and that this issue will affect how you and other veterans will vote in the future. You should send the letter to the President, both of your State's U.S. Senators and the U.S. Representative for your Congressional District. You should reprint the letter to each directly, though the text of the letter will not have to change. The particular Senators and Congressmen who will be deciding on this bill in the Conference Committee are listed below. They are the most important ones to focus on. So, if one of them is from your State or District, please write and call their office. They will be meeting on this bill during the middle or latter half of this month, in the next couple of weeks. The bill that they agree on will be presented to the entire Congress, and usually passes. If you are not in their State or District, still write to them on behalf of veterans in their State or District who do not know about this bill, if you wish to. call Congress in the next week or two. I am contacting members of the press about this development, and please feel free to do the same. I believe the American people will side with us if they realize what is happening. My comment to the press on this was: "To cut out the courageous Gulf War veterans who have been ill since the war, to ignore the plight of their long-suffering families, and to reward and prefer instead of them the somewhat ignoble profits of the tobacco industry would be a grotesque injustice which our country would be ashamed of." ~Gary Pitts~ I would suggest everyone to call and verbalize or write faxes to your senators and REPS now on this! Also I would again urge you as veterans to write letters to the editors of the newspapers or write an editorial for submission to papers now! ~DS Nurse~ The number for the UN Claims commission in DC is: out! Chemical Weapons Sold to Iraqi by the US Issues The Law suit filed against various commerical business entities in regard to transactions with Iraq, was filed by Mr. Frank Spagnoletti, of Spagnoletti & Associates, 1600 Smith, Suite 4545, Houston, Texas. 77002. Telephone 713-653-5600.....1-800-3 -GLF-WAR. Fax...713-653-5656. The assistance of Mr. Spagnoletti was requested in regards to this matter because many of these entities were found to be in violation of US embargo statutes, so determined by US Department of Commerce. Many of these entities have filed against the seized Iraqi Assetts in an attempt to recover payment for their transactions during this time period. The law suit was filed in a goal to (a). determine what was available to the Iraqi war machine for use against Coalition troops, and (b). to assist in relief of Gulf War veteran family medical cost burdens. At this time the suit is involved in change of venue motions and proceedural matters. the determination of "Class Action" has yet to be made by the judge. Participation enquiry for this suite can be made by calling Spagnoletti & Associates at the numbers listed above. Sincerely Yours....Victor Silvester.                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