H.R. 23House111th Congress (2009-2011)Passed House

Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009

Sponsored by Bob FilnerRep. Bob Filner (D-CA)
Introduced January 6, 2009

Legislative Activity

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14 earlier actions
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

May 13, 2009

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 6, 2009

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

January 6, 2009

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

January 9, 2009

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged.

May 1, 2009

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

May 6, 2009

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

May 6, 2009

HouseCommittee

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 111-99.

May 7, 2009

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 45.

May 7, 2009

HouseFloor

Mr. Filner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

May 12, 2009 • 3:13 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5422-5428)

May 12, 2009 • 3:13 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 23.

May 12, 2009 • 3:13 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5422-5423)

May 12, 2009 • 3:38 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5422-5423)

May 12, 2009 • 3:38 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

May 12, 2009 • 3:38 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

May 13, 2009

Floor Debate

11 members

What members said about H.R. 23 on the floor

4 Republicans7 Democrats
Rodney Alexander
Rep. Rodney AlexanderR-LA-5 · Mar 25, 2009

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, Omnibus Appropriations Act,…

Bob Filner
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-51 · May 12, 2009

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 23) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Merchant Mariner Equity…

Steve Buyer
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-4 · May 12, 2009

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in opposition. I rise in opposition, and I would say to the chairman, as a history professor, I know that you must embrace history and…

Bob Filner
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-51 · Jul 27, 2009

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3219) to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans…

Phil Hare
Rep. Phil HareD-IL-17 · Jul 27, 2009

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3219, the Veterans' Insurance and Health Care Improvements Act of 2009. Earlier in this session, I introduced H.R. 1302, a bill to create a full-time…

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Cliff Stearns
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6 · Jul 27, 2009

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3219, as amended, to amend title 38 of the United States Code, which would make improvements in…

Steve Buyer
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-4 · Jul 27, 2009

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3219, as amended, the Veterans' Insurance and Health Care Improvements Act of 2009, which would amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements…

Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
Rep. Eni F. H. FaleomavaegaD-AS · Jul 27, 2009

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3219, legislation to amend title 38, U.S. Code, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs related to…

Deborah L. Halvorson
Rep. Deborah L. HalvorsonD-IL-11 · Jul 27, 2009

Thank you, Mr. Filner, for yielding and for your leadership on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. I rise in support of H.R. 3219. Included in H.R. 3219 is the language from legislation that I…

Glenn C. Nye
Rep. Glenn C. NyeD-VA-2 · May 12, 2009

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of our merchant mariners from World War II and to urge this House to provide them with the compensation that is many years overdue. I would first like…

Ed Perlmutter
Rep. Ed PerlmutterD-CO-7 · May 19, 2009

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the service the U.S. Merchant Marines and the sacrifice each gave for our country. The merchant seamen of World War II were volunteers and a…

Darrell Issa
Rep. Darrell IssaR-CA-49 · May 13, 2009

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Merchant Mariners who served during World War II. Tasked with delivering troops, tanks, food, airplanes, fuel and other supplies to war theaters, Merchant…

Harry Teague
Rep. Harry TeagueD-NM-2 · Jul 27, 2009

Mr. Speaker, I believe that this bill represents something that we can always use more of in government, a little common sense. In this case, that common sense is a simple fix that will ensure that…

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued May 13, 2009

IIB

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 23

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 13, 2009

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

AN ACT

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund to provide benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) during World War II.

1.

SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009.

2.

PAYMENTS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED DURING WORLD WAR II IN THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE

(a)

Establishment of Compensation Fund- Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

533

Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund

(a)

Compensation Fund

(1)

There is in the general fund of the Treasury a fund to be known as the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund (in this section referred to as the compensation fund).

(2)

Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, amounts in the compensation fund shall be available to the Secretary without fiscal year limitation to make payments to eligible individuals in accordance with this section.

(b)

Eligible Individuals

(1)

An eligible individual is an individual who—

(A)

during the one-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009, submits to the Secretary an application containing such information and assurances as the Secretary may require;

(B)

has not received benefits under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (Public Law 78–346); and

(C)

has engaged in qualified service.

(2)

For purposes of paragraph (1), a person has engaged in qualified service if, between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, the person—

(A)

was a member of the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) serving as a crewmember of a vessel that was—

(i)

operated by the War Shipping Administration or the Office of Defense Transportation (or an agent of the Administration or Office);

(ii)

operated in waters other than inland waters, the Great Lakes, and other lakes, bays, and harbors of the United States;

(iii)

under contract or charter to, or property of, the Government of the United States; and

(iv)

serving the Armed Forces; and

(B)

while so serving, was licensed or otherwise documented for service as a crewmember of such a vessel by an officer or employee of the United States authorized to license or document the person for such service.

(c)

Amount of Payments

The Secretary shall make a monthly payment out of the compensation fund in the amount of $1,000 to an eligible individual. The Secretary shall make such payments to eligible individuals in the order in which the Secretary receives the applications of the eligible individuals.

(d)

Authorization of Appropriations

(1)

There are authorized to be appropriated to the compensation fund amounts as follows:

(A)

For fiscal year 2010, $120,000,000.

(B)

For fiscal year 2011, $108,000,000.

(C)

For fiscal year 2012, $97,000,000.

(D)

For fiscal year 2013, $85,000,000.

(E)

For fiscal year 2014, $75,000,000.

(2)

Funds appropriated to carry out this section shall remain available until expended.

(e)

Reports

The Secretary shall include, in documents submitted to Congress by the Secretary in support of the President's budget for each fiscal year, detailed information on the operation of the compensation fund, including the number of applicants, the number of eligible individuals receiving benefits, the amounts paid out of the compensation fund, the administration of the compensation fund, and an estimate of the amounts necessary to fully fund the compensation fund for that fiscal year and each of the three subsequent fiscal years.

(f)

Regulations

The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

.

(b)

Regulations

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe the regulations required under section 532(f) of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).

(c)

Clerical Amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item related to section 532 the following new item:

533. Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund..

Passed the House of Representatives May 12, 2009.

Lorraine C. Miller,

Clerk.