**Summary of H.R. 23**

**Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of
2007**

**Title:** To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a 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.

**Mr. Filner** of California introduced H.R. 23 on January 4, 2007.

**H.R. 23, as amended, would:**

1.  Establish a Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund (compensation
    fund) in the general fund of the Treasury and directs the Secretary
    of the VA to make monthly payments in the amount of \$1,000 to
    qualifying members of the United States Merchant Marine on a
    first-come, first-served basis, who served during World War II
    (including qualifying members of the Army Transport and the Naval
    Transport Service).

2.  Make funds available in the compensation fund subject to the
    availability of appropriations (discretionary), and make the amounts
    in the compensation fund available to the Secretary of the VA to
    distribute payments to eligible individuals at any time and over a
    period of five years.

3.  Require qualifying merchant mariners (including the Army Transport
    Service and the Naval Transport Service), who [have not]{.underline}
    already received benefits under the 1944 GI Bill (Servicemen's
    Readjustment Act of 1944 (P.L. 78-346)), to submit an application
    containing information as required by the Secretary before October
    1, 2009.

4.  Require the Secretary to recognize the qualifying service of all
    those who served in the United States Merchant Marine (including the
    Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) during the
    period of Dec. 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946.

5.  Require the Secretary to make a monthly payment of \$1,000 out of
    the compensation fund to eligible Merchant Mariners in the order of
    receipt of applications.

6.  Authorize appropriations in the amount of \$120 million in FY08;
    \$108 million in FY09; \$97million in FY10; \$85million in FY11; and
    \$75million in FY12 for the compensation fund.

7.  Require carryover -- that appropriations remain available until
    expended.

8.  Require the Secretary to submit an annual report to Congress with
    the President's budget each fiscal year that will contain
    information about the operation of the compensation fund, including,
    but not limited to, the number of applicants, the number of eligible
    individuals receiving benefits, the amounts paid out of and
    administration of the compensation fund and an estimate of necessary
    amounts to fully fund the compensation fund for that fiscal year and
    three subsequent fiscal years.

9.  Require the Secretary to issue regulations 180 days after the date
    of enactment.

**Effective Date:** Date of Enactment

**Cost:** CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 23 would cost \$120
million in 2008

and \$485 million over the 2008-2012 period, assuming appropriation of
the authorized

> amounts contained in the bill. Enacting the bill would not affect
> direct spending or receipts. H.R. 23 contains no intergovernmental or
> private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
> (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
> governments.

**Legislative History:**

> April 18, 2007: Legislative hearing held.
>
> July 17, 2007: Ordered reported, as amended, by the Committee on
> Veterans' Affairs.
>
> July 27, 2007: Reported, as amended, H. Rept. 110-269, Part I.
>
> July 30, 2007: Passed the House under suspension by voice vote.