XXXX Voted Against Transferring $329 Million to Veterans Affairs. In 1998, XXXX voted against the Harkin amendment to S.2057, which was an amendment to transfer $329 million from defense accounts to the Veterans Affairs Department for health care programs. The amendment would order the Secretary of Defense to transfer the funds from defense programs that would result in the least significant harm to armed forces readiness and military personnel quality of life. [Vote 175, 6/25/98] XXXX Voted to Cut Veterans' Programs. In 1998, XXXX voted for an amendment that would transfer savings from veteran’s' programs to transportation account to fund increases in ISTEA. The amendment would also express the sense of Senate that functional totals and assumptions underlying resolution assume support of President's proposal to disallow post-service smoking related illnesses to be eligible for VA health benefits; and requires VA, OMB and GAO, jointly, to study VA General Counsel's determination and resulting actions to change compensation rules to include disability and death benefits for conditions related to use of tobacco products during service, and deliver opinion as to whether illnesses resulting from post-service smoking should be considered as compensable disability. [Vote 76, 4/2/98] XXXX Voted Against Using Defense Funds for Veterans' Health. In 1997, XXXX Voted against shifting defense funds to provide Veterans' health benefits. [Vote 168, 7/10/97] CLAIMS XXXX Opposed Increasing Funding for Veterans Claims Adjudication by $5 Million. In 2001, XXXX voted to kill an amendment to increase funding for veterans claims adjudication by $5 million, with the $5 million offset by a $5 million cut in funds for HUD Community Development Fund projects in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Utah. At the time of the vote the average claim was taking the VA 215 days to adjudicate, and there was a backlog of 600,000 claims. [HR 2620, Vote 268, 8/2/01] BANKRUPTCY RELIEF XXXX Voted Against Exempting All Military from Bankruptcy Means Test. In March 2005, XXXX voted against an amendment that would have on exempted all military personnel and veterans from means testing in bankruptcy cases. “Many men and women in the military are making extraordinary sacrifices,” Sen. Dick Durbin said. “It’s unfair that they should come home to face this new harsh bankruptcy law.” The means testing was intended to determine whether people would need to repay their debts or whether they could see their debts canceled. Instead of supporting Durbin’s proposal, Republicans chose to provide special accommodations for some military members and veterans. [Vote 13, 3/1/05; AP, 3/1/05]  XXXX Voted to Give Disabled Veterans Bankruptcy Protection Only Under Certain Conditions. In 2005, XXXX voted for an amendment that would exempt disabled veterans from the means test if their debts incurred primarily when they were on active duty or performing homeland defense duties. [Vote 40, 3/10/05] BASES AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION McConnell Supported Building New Maximum Security Prison At Guantanamo, Cuba. In April 2005, McConnell voted against an amendment that would delete $36 million from the bill's appropriation for military construction for the Army that have been earmarked to pay for the construction of a new maximum security prison at Guantanamo, Cuba. [HR 1268, Vote 93, 4/13/05] McConnell Did Not Vote On $10 Billion in Military Constructions. In September 2004, XXXX voted for a bill that would appropriate $10 billion for military construction, family housing and base realignment and closure projects in fiscal 2005. It would provide $4.2 billion for family housing, $5.3 billion for military construction 313