[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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