Combat Merchant Mariners Benefits Act of 1993 - Provides that: (1) service in the U.S. merchant marine during a period of war for a total period equal to at least 12 months shall be considered active duty in determining eligibility for veterans benefits; and (2) such service may be verified by entries in a continuous discharge book, a certificate of discharge to merchant seamen, a certificate of substantially continuous service, or other documentation available from the Secretary of Transportation or the head of any other Federal agency.
Limits eligibility.
Specifies that: (1) the minimum active-duty service requirement of any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs shall apply in determining eligibility for veterans' benefits under this Act; (2) the 12-month requirement under this Act shall not apply to an individual who is permanently disabled in the performance of such service while the vessel is subjected to hostile action; and (3) such service may have been rendered before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act, with a limitation.
Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to provide that any medal awarded to a member of the merchant marine for service during a period of war be provided without charge.
[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1415 Introduced in House (IH)]
103d CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1415
To provide veterans benefits to certain individuals serving in the
United States merchant marine in a combat zone during a period of war,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 18, 1993
Mr. Hochbrueckner introduced the following bill; which was referred
jointly to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and Merchant Marine and
Fisheries
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide veterans benefits to certain individuals serving in the
United States merchant marine in a combat zone during a period of war,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Combat Merchant Mariners Benefits
Act of 1993''.
SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN MERCHANT MARINERS FOR VETERANS BENEFITS.
Subject to section 3, the service of an individual in the United
States merchant marine during a period of war for a total period equal
to at least 12 months shall be considered to be active duty in
determining the individual's eligibility for veterans benefits under
all laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
SEC. 3. LIMITATIONS.
(a) Qualified Service.--The service referred to in section 2 is the
following:
(1) Ocean, coastal, or intercoastal voyages.--Service on a
vessel of the United States on ocean, coastwise, or
intercoastal voyages, during a period of war in a combat zone
of such war that was rendered to the Armed Forces in a capacity
considered civilian employment or contractual service at the
time the service was rendered.
(2) Forcible detention or internment.--Any period of
forcible detention or internment by an enemy government or
hostile force as a result of hostile action against a vessel of
the United States while the individual was performing service
referred to in paragraph (1) on the vessel.
(3) Other service.--Any period of service in the War
Shipping Administration, the United States Maritime Service, or
a maritime training program conducted or recognized by the
Armed Forces, except that not more than six months of such
service may be included in calculating the period of service
referred to in section 2.
(b) Applicability of Minimum Active-Duty Service Requirements.--Any
minimum active-duty service requirement of any law administered by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall apply in determining an
individual's eligibility for veterans benefits under this Act.
SEC. 4. WAIVER OF PERIOD OF SERVICE REQUIREMENT FOR DISABILITY INCURRED
DURING QUALIFIED SERVICE.
The requirement of section 2 that the period of service referred to
in such section be equal to at least 12 months shall not apply to an
individual who is permanently disabled in the performance of the
service referred to in such section while the vessel of the United
States on which the individual is performing the service is subjected
to hostile action.
SEC. 5. VERIFICATION OF SERVICE.
The service referred to in section 2 may be verified by entries in
a continuous discharge book, a certificate of discharge to merchant
seamen, a certificate of substantially continuous service, or other
documentation available from the Secretary of Transportation or the
head of any other Federal agency.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) The term ``Armed Forces'' has the meaning given such
term in section 101(10) of title 38, United States Code.
(2) The term ``combat zone'' means an area in which the
Armed Forces are engaged in combat, as determined by the
Secretary of Defense.
(3) The term ``individual in the United States merchant
marine'' means any citizen or resident alien of the United
States serving as a civilian or civil service member of the
United States merchant marine.
(4) The term ``period of war'' has the meaning given such
term in section 101(11) of title 38, United States Code.
(5) The term ``vessel of the United States'' has the
meaning given such term in section 2101(46) of title 46, United
States Code.
SEC. 7. APPLICABILITY AND PROHIBITION OF RETROACTIVE BENEFITS.
Section 2 applies with respect to service rendered before, on, or
after the date of the enactment of this Act. An individual who performs
such service before the date of the enactment of this Act may not be
paid benefits that accrue as a result of the enactment of this Act for
any period before the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 8. AWARD OF MERCHANT MARINE MEDALS USING APPROPRIATED FUNDS.
The Secretary of Transportation may, to the extent that
appropriated funds are available for such purpose, provide that any
medal awarded by the United States to an individual in the United
States merchant marine for service during a period of war be provided
without any charge to that individual.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E690)
Referred to the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Education, Training and Employment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Housing and Memorial Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Hospitals and Health Care.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Compensation, Pension and Insurance.
Referred to the Subcommittee On Merchant Marine.
Executive Comment Requested from DOT.
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