[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 4, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E7-E8]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 4, 2005

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to correct an 
injustice that has been inflicted upon a group of World War II 
veterans, the World War II United States Merchant Mariners.
  World War II Merchant Mariners suffered the highest casualty rate of 
any of the branches of service while they delivered troops, tanks, 
food, airplanes, fuel and other needed supplies to every theater of the 
war.
  Compared to the large number of men and women serving in World War 
II, the numbers of the Merchant Mariners were small, but their chance 
of dying during service was extremely high. Enemy forces sank over 800 
ships between 1941 and 1944 alone.
  Unfortunately, this group of brave men were denied their rights under 
the G.I. Bill of Rights that Congress enacted in 1945. All those who 
served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard were 
recipients of benefits under the G.I. Bill. The United States Merchant 
Marine was not included.
  The Merchant Marine became the forgotten service. For four decades, 
no effort was made to recognize the contribution made by this branch of 
the Armed Services. The fact that Merchant Seamen had borne arms during 
wartime in the defense of their country seemed not to matter.
  No legislation to benefit merchant seamen was passed by Congress 
until 1988 when the Seaman Acts of 1988 finally granted them the a 
``watered down'' G.I. Bill of Rights. Some portions of the G.I. Bill 
have never been made available to veterans of the Merchant Marine.
  In addition, they still have not received proper recognition as 
veterans for Social Security purposes. If they had the ``veteran'' 
designation, their Social Security would be calculated as if they had 
earned $160 more a month than they did earn during their time in 
service in the Merchant Marines. Of course, what this means is a 
smaller Social Security check, now that they are retired.
  While it is impossible to make up for over 40 years of unpaid 
benefits, I propose a bill that will acknowledge the service of the 
veterans of the Merchant Marine and offer compensation for years and 
years of lost benefits. H.R. 23, the ``Belated Thank You to the 
Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2004'', will pay each eligible 
veteran a monthly benefit of $1000, and that payment would also go to 
their surviving spouses. It will also give them the Social Security 
that they are due by providing them with the status of ``veteran'' 
under the Social Security Act.

[[Page E8]]

  The average age of Merchant Marine veterans is now 81. Many have 
outlived their savings. An increase in their Social Security and a 
monthly benefit to compensate for the loss of nearly a lifetime of 
ineligibility for the GI Bill would be of comfort and would provide 
some measure of security for veterans of the Merchant Marine.
  I owe a debt of gratitude to Ian Allison of Santa Rosa, California 
and Henry Van Gemert of Palmetto, Florida who are Co-Chairs of the Just 
Compensation Committee of the U.S. Merchant Marine Combat Veterans, and 
to Ted Metula of Lemon Grove, California for bringing this issue to my 
attention.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting and cosponsoring this 
legislation. We can fix the injustices endured by our Nation's Merchant 
Marines by passing H.R. 23 as quickly as possible!

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