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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1665 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1665
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure veterans of secrecy
oath programs receive the full benefits they have earned, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 7, 2025
Mr. Blumenthal introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure veterans of secrecy
oath programs receive the full benefits they have earned, 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 ``Obligations to Aberdeen's Trusted
Heroes Act of 2025'' or the ``OATH Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SECRECY OATH PROGRAM.
Section 5100 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) The term `secrecy oath program' means a United States
Government program in which participants are required to sign a
non-disclosure agreement preventing the disclosure of any
information regarding the program under penalty of court-
martial or criminal punishment.''.
SEC. 3. NOTICE TO VETERANS OF SECRECY OATH PROGRAMS REGARDING BENEFITS.
(a) Notice Required.--
(1) In general.--Section 6303 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended--
(A) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e)
as subsections (d), (e), and (f), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subsection (b) the following
new subsection (c):
``(c) Notice to Veterans of Secrecy Oath Programs.--(1) Not later
than 90 days after the date on which participants in a secrecy oath
program are released from the oath taken under such program, the
Secretary shall--
``(A) identify the veterans who participated in the
program;
``(B) notify each such veteran of all benefits and services
under laws administered by the Department for which the veteran
may be eligible; and
``(C) distribute the information described in subsection
(d)(1) as required by such subsection.
``(2) If the Secretary identifies any veterans who are entitled to
notice under paragraph (1) and did not receive such notice, the
Secretary shall, not later than 90 days after the date of any such
identification--
``(A) notify each such veteran of all benefits and services
under laws administered by the Department for which the veteran
may be eligible; and
``(B) distribute the information described in subsection
(d)(1) as required by such subsection.
``(3) In this subsection, the term `secrecy oath program' has the
meaning given that term in section 5100 of this title.''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Section 6303 of such title is
further amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``through (d)''
and inserting ``through (e)''; and
(B) in subsection (e), as redesignated by
subsection (a)(1)(A), by striking ``subsections (b) and
(c)'' and inserting ``subsections (b), (c), and (d)''.
(b) Edgewood Arsenal Program.--Not later than 90 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall--
(1) identify the veterans who participated in the secrecy
oath program at Edgewood Arsenal at Aberdeen Proving Ground,
Maryland, at any time during the period beginning on January 1,
1948, and ending on December 31, 1975;
(2) notify each such veteran of all benefits and services
under laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs
for which the veteran may be eligible; and
(3) distribute the information described in section
6303(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by
subsection (a), as required by such section.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATES OF AWARDS OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION FOR
PARTICIPANTS IN SECRECY OATH PROGRAMS.
Section 5110(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(5)(A) The effective date of an award of disability compensation
to a veteran described in subparagraph (B) shall be the day following
the date of the veteran's discharge or release.
``(B) A veteran described in this subparagraph is a veteran who--
``(i) participated in the secrecy oath program at Edgewood
Arsenal at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, at any time
during the period beginning on January 1, 1948, and ending on
December 31, 1975; or
``(ii) participated in any other secrecy oath program not
described in clause (i).''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
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