H.R. 1494

Blue Water Navy Ship Accountability Act

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I

113th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1494

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 11, 2013

Mr. Gibson (for himself, Mr. Connolly, Ms. Norton, Mr. Griffin of Arkansas, Mr. Cicilline, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Stivers, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr. Grimm, Mr. Owens, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Ms. Meng, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mr. Walz, Mr. Poe of Texas, and Mr. Courtney) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Defense to review the operation of certain ships during the Vietnam Era, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Blue Water Navy Ship Accountability Act.

2.

Review of operation of certain ships during the Vietnam Era

(a)

Review required

By not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall review the logs of each ship under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy that is known to have operated in the waters near Vietnam during the Vietnam Era (as that term is defined in section 101(29) of title 38, United States Code) to determine—

(1)

whether each such ship operated in the territorial waters of the Republic of Vietnam during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975; and

(2)

for each such ship that so operated—

(A)

the date or dates when the ship so operated; and

(B)

the distance from the shore of the location where the ship operated that was the closest proximity to shore.

(b)

Provision of information to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Upon a determination that any such ship so operated, the Secretary of Defense shall provide such determination, together with the information described in subsection (a)(2) about the ship, to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

(c)

Public availability of information

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make publicly available all unclassified information provided to the Secretary under subsection (b).