[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 447 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 447

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that World War II 
merchant mariners who were awarded the Mariners Medal shall be provided 
eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs health care on the same 
       basis as veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 12, 2007

 Mr. Fortenberry introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that World War II 
merchant mariners who were awarded the Mariners Medal shall be provided 
eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs health care on the same 
       basis as veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. WORLD WAR II MERCHANT MARINERS AWARDED THE MARINERS MEDAL TO 
              BE PROVIDED PRIORITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
              HEALTH CARE ON SAME BASIS AS VETERANS AWARDED THE PURPLE 
              HEART.

    (a) Health Care Priority.--Sections 1705(a)(3) and 1710(a)(2)(D) of 
title 38, United States Code, are amended by inserting ``or the 
Mariners Medal'' after ``the Purple Heart''.
    (b) Mariners Medal Defined.--Section 1701 of such title is amended 
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(11) The term `Mariners Medal' means the medal authorized to be 
awarded pursuant to section 3 of the Act of May 10, 1943, entitled `An 
Act to provide for the issuance of devices in recognition of the 
services of merchant sailors' (Public Law 52 of the 78th Congress), to 
any person, who while serving on any vessel in the American merchant 
marine during the World War II period, was wounded, suffered physical 
injury, or suffered through dangerous exposure as a result of an act of 
an enemy of the United States.''.
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