[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 4, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S3962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         PATRIOT BILL OF RIGHTS

  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of 
S. 3237 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 3237) to amend the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 
     2022 to ensure claimants are adequately informed regarding 
     filing a Federal cause of action.

  There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the 
Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. I ask unanimous consent that the Tillis amendment at 
the desk be considered and agreed to; the bill, as amended, be 
considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 2072) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to, 
as follows:

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

        Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Patriot Bill of Rights''.

     SEC. 2. INFORMATION REGARDING VETERANS' BENEFITS TO VETERANS 
                   BRINGING FEDERAL CAUSE OF ACTION RELATING TO 
                   WATER AT CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA.

       (a) In General.--The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (28 
     U.S.C. 2671 note prec.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(k) Acknowledgments.--
       ``(1) Guidance and advice services.--A veteran, or the 
     legal representative of a veteran, bringing a cause of action 
     under subsection (b) shall sign a written acknowledgment, 
     provided by the attorney, indicating that the veteran or 
     legal representative bringing the action understands that the 
     veteran or legal representative may seek guidance and advice 
     on any disability awards, payments, or benefits, in addition 
     to and separate from rights provided under this Act, to which 
     the veteran may be entitled under any program of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs, free of charge from--
       ``(A) organizations recognized under section 5902 of title 
     38, United States Code;
       ``(B) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and
       ``(C) the congressional representatives of the individual 
     or legal representative.
       ``(2) Application to pending matters.--For any cause of 
     action brought under subsection (b) that is pending on the 
     date of enactment of this subsection, not later than 90 days 
     after such date of enactment, the veteran bringing the 
     action, the legal representative of the veteran, or the 
     attorney for the veteran or legal representative, as 
     applicable, shall file the acknowledgments described in 
     paragraph (1).''.
       (b) Severability.--If any provision of the amendment made 
     by subsection (a), or the application of such a provision to 
     any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, 
     the remaining provisions of the amendment made by subsection 
     (a), the other provisions of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 
     2022 (28 U.S.C. 2671 note prec.), and the application of the 
     provision of the amendment made by subsection (a) held to be 
     unconstitutional to any other person or circumstance shall 
     not be affected thereby.

  The bill (S. 3237), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

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