[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 127 (Friday, August 3, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1715-E1716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       BELATED THANK YOU TO MERCHANT MARINERS OF WWII ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE BUYER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2007

  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I have reservations regarding H.R. 23, as 
amended, the Belated Thank You to Merchant Mariners of World War II Act 
of 2007. I believe that H.R. 23, as amended, sets a poor precedent by 
awarding a $1,000 monthly payment to World War II Merchant Mariners. 
The authorization described in the bill has no requirement for the 
Merchant Mariner to have a disability or suffer from financial 
hardship. Currently, the only veterans authorized to receive a service 
pension are Medal of Honor recipients.
  Whether or not to grant an unprecedented new service pension to World 
War II Merchant Mariners is not a question of bravery or contributions 
to victory over the Axis in 1945. Those questions have long been 
settled to the resounding credit of the mariners who braved unspeakable 
dangers to transport cargo that kept the Atlantic Alliance alive and 
fighting.
  The Merchant Mariners serving during World War II were given veteran 
status under a system established by Congress in the G.I. Bill 
Improvement Act of 1977, Public Law 95-202. This process determined if 
civilian groups of World War II, like Merchant Mariners, should receive 
veteran status based on their service during the war. As of 1992, all 
World War II Merchant Mariners who served from the beginning of the war 
through victory in Japan day received full veteran status under this 
system. This means that all of these World War II Merchant Mariners are 
veterans and qualify for all VA benefits and services including 
healthcare and old age pension.
  An objective and carefully researched report on the contributions of 
Merchant Mariners during World War II and post-war benefits for which 
they were eligible can be found in the Congressional Research Service 
Report for Congress, Veterans Benefits: Merchant Seamen, May 8, 2007 
(Order Code: RL33992: http://www.congress.gov/erp/r1/pdf/RL33992.pdf), 
by Christine Scott and Douglas Reid Weimer.
  Thirty other groups that provided military-related service to the 
U.S. in World War II have received veteran status in the same manner as 
the Merchant Mariners. However, this bill ignores their service to the 
nation; it focuses only on the service provided by Merchant Mariners 
who served during that same period. These groups include the Women's 
Air Force Service Pilots, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, the famed 
Flying Tigers and many others who gained their status decades after 
their service. They served loyally, selflessly, and courageously. Their 
service contributed directly to victory in 1945. Yet this bill does 
nothing for them.
  During the full Committee markup of H.R. 23, I offered an amendment 
that would include these groups, which was defeated by voice vote. I 
attach a list of the other veteran groups that received veteran status 
under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (P.L. 78-346) 
[Attachment A].
  I also find the funding mechanism for this bill to be of concern. 
When this bill was introduced in previous Congresses, it was determined 
that because the benefit was an entitlement, it was subject to PAYGO 
offset requirements. However, the current bill uses a compensation fund 
to turn this entitlement into discretionary spending. This side-steps 
budget rules and places an unnecessary burden on the Appropriations 
Committees.
  There is no current appropriations measure that would fund this 
benefit. The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, which is unable to 
identify the necessary PAYGO offsets to fund this benefit, is simply 
passing the buck to the Appropriations Committee. I do not believe this 
is a fiscally sound way to legislate. Further, if insufficient funds 
were to be appropriated, only some Merchant Mariners would receive the 
benefit, while others would not.
  The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), in opposing this 
bill said, ``If these measures were approved, the annuity payable for 
even a single month of Merchant Marine service in World War II would 
significantly exceed those payable to thousands of World War II combat 
veterans who served far longer and suffered significant combat 
disabilities . . .'' MOAA also wrote, ``A World War II military veteran 
who served 20 years and retired in 1955 at the grade of E-5 [sergeant] 
is entitled to a military retired pay check of only $900 today.''
  I believe this legislation, though well-meaning, breaches precedent 
of pension policy law and does not make the best use of taxpayer 
dollars. I fear that it will have unintended consequences for future 
Congresses.

                              Attachment A


               RECOGNIZED GROUPS UNDER PUBLIC LAW 95-202

       1. 8 Mar 79--Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WWII).
       2. 22 Jan 81--Civilian Employees, Pacific Naval Air Bases, 
     Who Actively Participated in the Defense of Wake Island 
     during WWII.
       3. 17 Jul 81--Male Civilian Ferry Pilots (WWII).
       4. 7 Apr 82--Wake Island defenders from Guam (WWII).
       5. 27 Dec 82--Civilian Personnel Assigned to the Secret 
     Intelligence Element of the OSS (WWII).
       6. 10 May 83--Guam Combat Patrol (WWII).
       7. 7 Feb 84--Quartermaster Corps Keswick Crew on Corregidor 
     (WWII).
       8. 7 Feb 84--U.S. Civilian Volunteers Who Actively 
     Participated in the Defense of Bataan (WWII).
       9. 18 Oct 85--U.S. Merchant Seamen Who Served on Blockships 
     in Support of Operation Mulberry (WWII).
       10. 19 Jan 88--American Merchant Marine in Oceangoing 
     Service during the Period of Armed Conflict, December 7, 
     1941, to August 15, 1945 (WWII).
       11. 2 Aug 88--Civilian U.S. Navy IFF Technicians Who Served 
     in the Combat Areas of the Pacific during World War II 
     (December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945) (WWII).
       12. 30 Aug 90--U.S. Civilians of the American Field Service 
     (AFS) Who Served Overseas Under U.S. Armies and U.S. Army 
     Groups in World War II During the Period December 7, 1941, 
     through May 8,1945 (WWII).
       13. 5 Oct 90--U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground 
     Support Employees of American Airlines Who Served Overseas as 
     a result of American Airlines' Contract with Air Transport 
     Command during the Period December 14, 1941, through August 
     14, 1945 (WWII).
       14. 8 Apr 91--Civilian Crewmen of the United States Coast 
     and Geodetic Survey vessels who performed their service in 
     areas of immediate military hazard while conducting 
     cooperative operations with and for the United States Armed 
     Forces within a time frame of December 7, 1941, to August 15, 
     1945 (WWII).
       15. 3 May 91--Honorably Discharged Members of the American 
     Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) Who Served During the Period 
     December 7, 1941, to July 18, 1942 (WWII).
       16. 12 May 92--U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation 
     Ground Support Employees of United Air Lines (UAL), Who 
     Served Overseas as a Result of UAL's Contract With the Air 
     Transport Command During the Period December 14, 1941, 
     through August 14, 1945 (WWII).
       17. 12 May 92--U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation 
     Ground Support Employees of Transcontinental and Western Air 
     (TWA), Inc., Who Served Overseas as a Result of TWA's 
     Contract with the Air Transport Command during the Period 
     December 14, 1941, through August 14, 1945 (WWII).
       18. 14 May 92--American Field Service (AFS) who served 
     honorably on flights with the 3d Combat Cargo Squadron, Army 
     Air Forces, December 7, 1941, through August 14, 1945 
     (Addendum to August 30, 1990 AFS (WWII) SAF decision) (WWII).
       19. 14 May 92--Addendum which adds three ships 
     (Oceanographer, Hydrographer, and Pathfinder) to the April 8, 
     1991, USCGS SAF decision (WWII).
       20. 29 Jun 92--U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation 
     Ground Support Employees of Consolidated Vultee Aircraft 
     Corporation (Convair Division), Who Served Overseas as a 
     Result of a Contract with the Air Transport Comnand during 
     the Period (WWII) U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation 
     Ground Support during the Period December 7, 1941, through 
     August 14, 1945 (WWII).
       21. 29 Jun 92--Honorably Discharged Members of the American 
     Volunteer Guard, Eritrea Service Command during the Period 
     June 21, 1942 to March 31, 1943 (WWII).

[[Page E1716]]

       22. 29 Jun 92--Addendum for ``oceangoing'' merchant marine 
     (includes U.S. Army Corps Engineers, U.S. Army Coast 
     Artillery Corps, or U.S. Army Air Force) (WWII).
       23. 17 Jul 92--U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation 
     Ground Support Employees of Pan American World Airways and 
     its subsidiaries and affiliates, Who Served Overseas as a 
     Result of Pan American's Contract with the Air Transport 
     Command and Naval Air Transport Service during the Period 
     December 14, 1941 through August 14, 1945 (WWII).
       24. 4 Nov. 92--U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation 
     Ground Support Employees of Eastern Air Lines-Military 
     Transport Division (EAL-MTD), Who Served Overseas as a Result 
     of EAL-MTD's Contract With the Air Transport Command During 
     the Period December 14, 1941, through August 14, 1945 (WWII).
       25. 13 Dec 92--U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation 
     Ground Support Employees of Northwest Airlines, Who Served 
     Overseas as a Result of Northwest Airline's Contract with the 
     Air Transport Command during the Period December 14, 1941, 
     through August 14, 1945 (WWII).
       26. 13 Dec 93--U.S. Civilian Female Employees of the U.S. 
     Army Nurse Corps While Serving in the Defense of Bataan and 
     Corregidor During the Period January 2, 1942, to June 12, 
     1945 (WWII).
       27. 2 Jun 97--U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground 
     Support Employees of Braniff Airways, who served overseas in 
     the North Atlantic or under the jurisdiction of the North 
     Atlantic Wing as a result of a contract with Air Transport 
     Command during the period February 26, 1942, to August 14, 
     1945 (WWII).
       28. 2 Jun 97--U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground 
     Support Employees of Northeast Airlines Atlantic Division, 
     who served overseas as a result of Northeast Airlines' 
     contract with the Air Transport Command during the Period 
     December 7, 1941, to August 14, 1945 (WWII).
       29. 27 Aug 99--Operational Analysis Group of the Office of 
     Scientific Research and Development, who served overseas from 
     December 7, 1941, through August 15, 1945.
       30. 30 Sep 99-- Three scout/guides assisting U.S. Marines 
     in offensive operations in Northern Mariana Islands from June 
     19, 1944, through September 2, 1945.
       31. 30 Sep 99--Approximately 50 Chamorro and Carolinian 
     policemen, who received military training and under the 
     command of the 6th Provisional Military Police Battalion, to 
     accompany U.S. Marines in combat patrol activity from August 
     19, 1945, to September 2, 1945.
       32. 21 Feb 03--Reconsideration of ``Pursers'' as part of 
     the Flight Crews of U.S. Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation 
     Ground Support Employees of Transcontinental and Western Air 
     (TWA), Inc., Who Served Overseas as a Result of TWA's 
     Contract with the Air Transport Command during the Period 
     December 14, 1941, through August 14, 1945.

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