[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 123 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8884-H8887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BELATED THANK YOU TO THE MERCHANT MARINERS OF WORLD WAR II ACT OF 2007
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 23) to amend title 46, United States Code, to provide
benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States
merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval
Transport Service) during World War II, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows
H.R. 23
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 ``Belated Thank You to the
Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. PAYMENTS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED DURING WORLD WAR
II IN THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE.
(a) Establishment of Compensation Fund.--Subchapter II of
chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 532. Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund
``(a) Compensation Fund.--(1) There is in the general fund
of the Treasury a fund to be known as the `Merchant Mariner
Equity Compensation Fund' (in this section referred to as the
`compensation fund').
``(2) Subject to the availability of appropriations for
such purpose, amounts in the fund shall be available to the
Secretary without fiscal year limitation to make payments to
eligible individuals in accordance with this section.
``(b) Eligible Individuals.--(1) An eligible individual is
an individual who--
``(A) before October 1, 2009, submits to the Secretary an
application containing such information and assurances as the
Secretary may require;
``(B) has not received benefits under the Servicemen's
Readjustment Act of 1944 (Public Law 78-346); and
``(C) has engaged in qualified service.
``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), a person has engaged
in qualified service if, between December 7, 1941, and
December 31, 1946, the person--
``(A) was a member of the United States merchant marine
(including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport
Service) serving as a crewmember of a vessel that was--
``(i) operated by the War Shipping Administration or the
Office of Defense Transportation (or an agent of the
Administration or Office);
``(ii) operated in waters other than inland waters, the
Great Lakes, and other lakes, bays, and harbors of the United
States;
``(iii) under contract or charter to, or property of, the
Government of the United States; and
``(iv) serving the Armed Forces; and
``(B) while so serving, was licensed or otherwise
documented for service as a crewmember of such a vessel by an
officer or employee of the United States authorized to
license or document the person for such service.
``(c) Amount of Payments.--The Secretary shall make a
monthly payment out of the compensation fund in the amount of
$1,000 to an eligible individual. The Secretary shall make
such payments to eligible individuals in the order in which
the Secretary receives the applications of the eligible
individuals.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--(1) There are
authorized to be appropriated to the compensation fund
amounts as follows:
``(A) For fiscal year 2008, $120,000,000.
``(B) For fiscal year 2009, $108,000,000.
``(C) For fiscal year 2010, $97,000,000.
``(D) For fiscal year 2011, $85,000,000.
``(E) For fiscal year 2012, $75,000,000.
``(2) Funds appropriated to carry out this section shall
remain available until expended.
``(e) Reports.--The Secretary shall include, in documents
submitted to Congress by the Secretary in support of the
President's budget for each fiscal year, detailed information
on the operation of the compensation fund, including the
number of applicants, the number of eligible individuals
receiving benefits, the amounts paid out of the compensation
fund, the administration of the compensation fund, and an
estimate of the amounts necessary to fully fund the
compensation fund for that fiscal year and each of the three
subsequent fiscal years.
``(f) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe
regulations to carry out this section.''.
(b) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe the
regulations required under section 532(f) of title 38, United
States Code, as added by subsection (a).
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the
item related to section 531 the following new item:
``532. Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, before I get to these specific bills, let me
just say, as chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, we
are at a critical time in our Nation in dealing with our veterans.
George Washington said it best over 200 years ago when he stated that
``the morale of our active duty troops depends foremost on how they
sense they're going to be treated when they come home.'' So we have a
lot of work to do.
We have a Secretary who has announced his resignation. Recently, just
last week, the Dole-Shalala Commission released its report on some
major changes for the VA and the DoD for the way we deal with our
veterans and our wounded warriors. We need someone in that position, I
think, who will shake things up a bit, who will not only do the Dole-
Shalala recommendations, but go further and really talk to two
bureaucracies that have to do business far better than what they do.
Too often, VA means for our veterans ``veterans adversary'' instead of
``veterans advocate.''
We have older veterans, like we're going to be dealing with in the
bill up now, and we are going to have hundreds of thousands of new
veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. It's a critical job that we must
do. And I always say, no matter where we are in the war in Iraq, we're
going to make sure that every young man and woman who comes back from
the war gets all the love, the care, the attention, the honor, the
dignity that a Nation can bestow.
So we have a big job to do. And this package of bills we have today
addressed both older veterans that we still have to care for and make
sure any injustices that came up in their treatment are taken care of,
as well as the needs that are so critical, whether they be brain injury
or PTSD of the new veterans. We have to deal with both groups, and we
have to do it right.
I want to speak now on H.R. 23, the Belated Thank You to the Merchant
Mariners of World War II Act.
This is a bill that is six decades overdue, Mr. Speaker. And I think
today we are on the verge of doing a historic thing, that is, providing
a way to finally give the heroic merchant mariners of World War II the
belated compensation that they've so richly earned and deserve.
I think this Congress not only has to treat those new veterans coming
back from Iraq, but we have the responsibility to correct the wrongs of
the past, and this is one of the grave injustices that deserves
rectification.
There are over 250 Members of this House who have cosponsored H.R.
23. But for those who haven't, let me tell you about the sad history of
these forgotten heroes. The Merchant Mariners of World War II traversed
the dangerous U-boat laden waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans,
faced down fierce attacks from enemy aircraft, and were instrumental in
every theater of war by carrying 95 percent of all tanks, supplies and
troops during World War II. As a result, they suffered the highest
casualty rate of any of the military branches.
It is indisputable that the allied forces would not have been able to
begin, sustain or end World War II in victory without their valiant and
selfless service. It is also indisputable, Mr. Speaker, that these men
now are entitled to be compensated for their service.
After the war, they did not receive the recognition as veterans, or
the benefits of the unprecedented GI Bill of
[[Page H8885]]
1944, which, in many people's minds, they had earned. We all know the
profound effects of that GI Bill on building the middle class. We all
know that the education and ability to buy homes led to the creation of
the success of the generations following World War II.
At the signing of that bill in 1944, the GI Bill, which gave these
veterans unprecedented education, housing, small business loans and
health benefits, President Roosevelt himself declared, ``I trust
Congress will soon provide similar opportunities to members of the
merchant marine, who have risked their lives time and time again during
war for the welfare of their country.'' Succeeding Congresses up until
now have never done that.
Their fight for equity continued for all the time since then, and
even for the time after they finally attained veteran status after a
lengthy court battle that was decided in 1987, which by then, 40 years
after the war, over 125,000 merchant mariners had died.
We've had the distinct privilege at the Veterans' Affairs Committee
of receiving the heart-wrenching testimony of some of these veterans,
one of whom was a named party in the lawsuit which finally gave him
veteran status, a merchant mariner named Stanley Willner. Stanley was
captured, interned, beaten, starved and tortured as a POW for 3 years.
In fact, he was actually one of the unfortunate groups of allied forces
that were forced to build the infamous bridge over the River Kwai. Upon
release, he weighed a mere 74 pounds. When he returned home, his wife
didn't recognize him, but neither did his country. He received just 2
weeks of medical care and little else for his service to this Nation.
What a miscarriage of justice.
Mr. Speaker, it was only due to a sad confluence of powerful events
after the war that this country did not bestow the brave men of the
World War II Merchant Marine with veteran status. Their service was
recognized by all the leaders of the Allied Forces from Generals
MacArthur to Eisenhower.
{time} 1615
I will include a list of quotes regarding their courageous service in
the Record. I will also add a letter from the four maritime unions, the
American Maritime Officers, the International Organization of Masters,
Mates and Pilots, the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association, and the
Seafarers International Union, expressing their strong support for H.R.
23, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, the time has come to right this enduring wrong. To me,
failing to correct the injustice suffered by the merchant mariners for
the past six decades is equivalent to an employer telling a group of
20-year-olds at the same company doing the same job that 85 percent of
them will receive additional health, education, housing, and loan
assistance benefits for the rest of their lives for their service, but
the remaining 15 percent would not. Then, over 40 years later, the
employer is forced to recognize the mistake and informs the 15 percent,
sorry, we will give you what has not expired, but nothing else.
Where is the fairness? Where is the equity? How do you measure the
loss of these benefits, the missed opportunities and the dreams
unrealized? That is what H.R. 23 tries to make up for, to create the
semblance of equity that the mariners of World War II so richly deserve
by providing a monthly stipend to qualifying mariners on a first-come-
first-served basis.
July 27, 2007.
Hon. Bob Filner,
Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: We are writing on behalf of the
undersigned American maritime labor organizations to express
our strong support for H.R. 23, the ``Belated Thank You to
the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2007'' as
amended. The organizations we represent have the privilege of
including among our retired and active seagoing members
individuals who served our country with honor and distinction
during World War II. These World War II merchant mariners are
truly representative of the ``Greatest Generation'', and we
are extremely proud of them and the example they have set for
all merchant mariners who continue to respond to our Nation's
call whenever and wherever they are needed.
General Colin Powell, following the Persian Gulf War, said
that: ``Since I became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
I have come to appreciate first-hand why our Merchant Marine
has long been called our Nation's fourth arm of defense. The
American seafarer provides an essential service to the well-
being of our Nation as was demonstrated so clearly during
Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm . . .''
We agree wholeheartedly with you that the enactment of H.R.
23 is necessary ``to correct an injustice that has been
inflicted upon a group of World War II veterans, the World
War II United States merchant mariners.'' We sincerely thank
you, Mr. Chairman, for your initiative in working to address
this injustice by sponsoring legislation to provide long-
overdue recognition and benefits to World War II merchant
mariners. We are also grateful to your colleagues who have
cosponsored H.R. 23 and for their decision to add their names
to the bipartisan supporters who are committed to working
with you and with us for the enactment of H.R. 23 this year.
There is not, nor should there be, any debate as to the
invaluable service given by American merchant mariners during
World War II. In fact, World War II merchant mariners
suffered the highest casualty rate of any of the branches of
the Armed Forces, other than the United States Marine Corps,
as they delivered troops, tanks, food, fuel and other needed
equipment and material to every theater of World War II.
Enemy forces sank more than 800 merchant vessels between 1941
and 1944 alone.
As General of the Army, Allied Expeditionary Forces in
Europe, Dwight David Eisenhower stated, ``When final victory
is ours there is no organization that will share its credit
more deservedly than the Merchant Marine.'' Fleet Admiral
Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Theater, said
that ``The Merchant Marine . . . has repeatedly proved its
right to be considered as an integral part of our fighting
team.''
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, speaking of the
merchant seamen who supported the liberation of the
Philippines, stated that ``With us they have shared the
heaviest enemy fire. On these Islands I have ordered them off
their ships and into foxholes when their ships became
untenable targets of attack. At our side they have suffered
in bloodshed and death . . . They have contributed
tremendously to our success. I hold no branch in higher
esteem than the Merchant Marine Service.''
Finally, President Franklin Roosevelt eloquently and
accurately summed up the contributions of America's World War
II merchant mariners, telling the country and the world that
they ``have written one of its most brilliant chapters. They
have delivered the goods when and where needed in every
theater of operations and across every ocean in the biggest,
the most difficult and most dangerous job ever taken.''
Yet despite this record of exemplary, indispensable service
to America's war efforts, merchant mariners were not given
the formal recognition and benefits granted other services by
the Congress through the G.I. Bill of Rights in 1945. In
fact, no legislation to recognize the contributions made by
World War II merchant mariners was enacted until Congress
extended limited veterans' status to these gallant American
citizens in 1988.
We believe, as you have stated Mr. Chairman, that it is
time to correct this injustice. We believe our country has an
obligation to the remaining World War II merchant mariners to
fully acknowledge their service and to give them the measure
of benefit called for in H.R. 23. We ask you and your
colleagues to take the first step in righting this wrong by
voting to pass H.R. 23 during its consideration by the House
of Representatives.
We again thank you and the Members of your Committee for
the support you have shown for the World War II merchant
mariners. We stand ready to provide whatever additional
information you may need.
Sincerely,
Thomas Bethel,
President, American Maritime Officers.
Timothy A. Brown,
President, International Organization of Masters, Mates &
Pilots.
Ron Davis,
President, Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association.
Michael Sacco,
President, Seafarers International Union.
____
Maritime Trades Department, American Federation of Labor
and Congress of Industrial Organizations,
Washington, DC, July 27, 2007.
Hon. Bob Filner,
Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO
and its 23 affiliated unions express our strong support for
H.R. 23, ``The Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of
World War II Act of 2007.'' We also offer our own ``Thank
You'' for your tireless efforts to correct a decades-long
injustice, which have incurred the respect and admiration of
maritime workers from one end of this country to the other.
Except for an incomplete recognition in 1988, when the
Department of Defense agreed to award service medals to
civilian mariners who served in World War II and allow them
the privilege of being buried with veterans' honors, the
contribution of an entire generation of World War II
veterans--maritime's
[[Page H8886]]
own version of ``the Greatest Generation''--has been
slighted. U.S. civilian mariners who served in Wor1d War II
suffered one of the highest casualty rates of any of the
branches of the Armed Forces. As Winston Churchill and other
great leaders of the time noted during and after the war, the
role that these brave mariners played in keeping Great
Britain and Russia supplied during the darkest days of World
War II had a profound effect on the outcome of the war.
Churchill, of course, called them ``unsung heroes in
dungarees.'' Dwight Eisenhower noted that, ``When final
victory is ours, there is no organization that will share in
its credit more deservedly than the merchant marine.''
Franklin Delano Roosevelt said that when the history of the
war is recorded, the men and women of the U.S.-flag merchant
marine will ``have written one of its most brilliant
chapters.''
While the Murmansk run and the deadly cross-Atlantic
transports were the best-known contributions of U.S. civilian
mariners, they certainly were not the only ones. The U.S.-
flag merchant marine played a central role in every theater
of operations, including the Pacific, where Douglas MacArthur
noted, ``With us, they have shared the heaviest enemy fire.''
Given this record, it was inconceivable that civilian
mariners were denied any formal recognition for their
important contributions to the war effort. You have called it
an historical injustice of the highest order. and you are
right.
By providing eligible civilian mariners with appropriate
benefits, this legislation sends a clear message that the
United States government will always honor the contributions
of loyal, patriotic Americans. Coming at a time when this
country is embroiled in several conflicts abroad, it is an
important message that needs to he delivered. The House of
Representatives should pass this bill.
The men and women of the U.S.-flag merchant marine are
unwavering in their support of our country and its troops in
harm's way. The fact that you and your colleagues understand
that and have been persistent in trying to correct a long-
standing oversight also sends another message that needs to
be heard. By providing this Nation with a reliable source of
sealift and a skilled manpower pool of civilian mariners, the
U.S.-flag merchant marine will continue to play an important
role in the defense of this Nation.
Sincerely,
Michael Sacco,
President.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Mr. Filner for his leadership in
bringing this bill forward and that of the staff on both sides. The
legislation before us, H.R. 23, as amended, would provide $1,000
monthly payment to World War II mariners.
The merchant mariners braved great danger and suffered great loss in
their service for the allies. This service has been recognized. Since
1988, these wartime merchant mariners have full VA benefits, including
health care. This bill goes further than that. It recognizes that these
veterans did not have access to the GI Bill when they were young. In
providing a monthly payment, H.R. 23 attempts to compensate for the
loss of the potential offered by the GI Bill's educational benefits
which were used by about half of the 16 million veterans of the Second
World War.
Thirty other groups also provided military service to the U.S. in
World War II and have received veteran status in the same manner as the
merchant mariners.
We are a little bit concerned that we were not able in this bill to
also help these deserving veterans. These groups include the Women's
Air Force Service Pilots, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and the
famed Flying Tigers. They served loyally, selflessly and courageously.
Their service also contributed directly to victory in 1945, and yet we
haven't been able to accommodate them in this bill. In fairness, their
duty must be taken into account. I hope that we can act in the near
future and take care of them.
I am also concerned that apparently because of the rules of the
House, and I voted for PAYGO, that we couldn't find the offsets to fund
this benefit. So the issue of funding is being passed to the
appropriators. It is unclear where we are going to be able to find the
approximately $485 million over the next 5 years to fund the bill.
As a believer in the GI Bill, I certainly cannot dispute the fact
that the lack of advantage conferred by GI Bill education benefits
disadvantaged merchant mariners and their families in the years
following their service.
Mr. Speaker, our merchant mariners provided intrepid and faithful
service. Sixty years ago, they paid the heavy price for the freedoms we
enjoy today. For that, they certainly deserve our appreciation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, we have a new Member from New Hampshire that
I will call the ``not-so-gentle-lady'' because she has been incredibly
active and taken a leadership role in passage of this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she might consume to the
gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Shea-Porter).
Ms. SHEA-PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R.
23. I thank the chairman for his leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I was surprised and saddened to learn from a constituent
that in spite of the service of the merchant mariners in World War II,
none of them received the same benefits that other soldiers received:
no access to the GI Bill, no health benefits, nothing.
As you consider this bill that will finally show our gratitude to the
merchant marines of World War II, I would like to recall the words of
General Dwight Eisenhower, who understood what their service had given
the United States. In 1944 he had this to say: ``Every marine in this
Allied Command is quick to express his admiration for the loyalty,
courage and fortitude of the officers and men of the merchant marine.
We count upon their efficiency and their utter devotion to duty as we
do our own; they have never failed us yet and in all the struggles yet
to come we know that they will never be deterred by any danger,
hardship or privation. When final victory is ours, there is no
organization that will share its credit more deservedly than the
merchant marine.''
After the war he noted: ``Their contribution to final victory will be
long remembered.''
It is way past time to remember their devotion to the United States.
It is way past time to reward them what they earned. Time is slipping.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, H.R. 23.
Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my fellow Members of the House to
support this bill. Certainly I will.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his endorsement, support, and
leadership on our committee. He has raised some very good questions
that I hope our committee will deal with.
Mr. Speaker, without a doubt, these men, now all of them are in their
eighties, the average age is 83, in fact, of the remaining 10,000 that
are alive, have earned and deserve this delayed compensation. They
fought the good fight. They gave our country everything they could.
This is what H.R. 23 will do, provide the merchant mariners with the
compensation they earned and have been denied for decades, not just in
words, but in deeds.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all the Members of this House for the support of
this historic piece of legislation
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 23, the
Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2007,
which is a bill to amend title 46, United States Code, to provide
benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States
Merchant Marine, including the Army Transport Service and the Naval
Transport Service during World War II.
United States Merchant Mariners served as a crucial component of
America's seapower force during World War II. Merchant Mariners were
responsible for transporting armies and equipment behind enemy lines.
Merchant Mariners helped transport not only troops, but also delivered
ammunition, provisions, tanks, airplanes, fuel, and other wartime
materiel into theater. Their significant contributions were critical in
providing logistical support to the United States Armed Forces and that
support helped our Armed Forces and allies achieve victory in the war
in both the Pacific and European theaters.
Over 243,000 Merchant Mariners served during the Second World War.
These brave individuals endured the elements and constant threats from
enemy submarines, mines, armed raiders, destroyers, and aircrafts. An
estimated 9,300 Merchant Mariners lost their lives during the Second
World War. The Merchant Mariner casualty rate was the highest
percentage of war-related deaths when compared to each of the military
services.
[[Page H8887]]
Unlike other military servicemembers, Merchant Mariners were not
offered similar opportunities to participate in the G.I. Bill of 1945.
H.R. 23 will provide long-awaited parity for these selfless
individuals. It is unfortunate that after 60 years these Merchant
Mariners have not been provided access to a benefit they deserve. In
the spirit of fairness and equity, and in keeping with this Congress's
recent and previous actions of providing long-awaited and most
deserving recognition to forgotten groups of Americans who served and
sacrificed during World War II, I urge passage of H.R. 23.
Today, the United States Merchant Marine continues its tradition of
providing an essential component to our national security as the
``fourth arm of defense.'' Our merchant ships bear the brunt of
delivering military supplies overseas to our forces and allies. The
stark lessons of 20th century conflict prove that a strong Merchant
Marine is an essential part of American seapower.
It is time that we thank these brave men and women whose efforts
contributed greatly to the success of the United States during the
Second World War. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R.
23, which is sponsored by our colleague from California, Mr. Filner,
the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H.R. 23, I am pleased to
support this legislation on the House floor today.
The duty performed by the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II
was courageous and vital to our national interest. H.R. 23 would direct
the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay a monthly benefit of $l,000
to U.S. Merchant Marine veterans who served in the Army and Navy
Transport Services between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, or
to their survivors.
During World War II, the Army and Navy Transport Services delivered
troops and supplies to the front lines. These men often put their lives
in danger to keep supplies flowing, but Merchant Marine veterans were
not granted benefits 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 regretfully was not included.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 23, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title was amended so as to read: ``A Bill to amend title 38,
United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to
establish the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund to provide
benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States
merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval
Transport Service) during World War II.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________