I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9725 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense 

to carry out programs to provide to certain veterans who are women 

a compensation benefit and an upgrade to the discharge status of such 

veterans, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 

Ms. BROWNLEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ 

Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary 

of Defense to carry out programs to provide to certain 

veterans who are women a compensation benefit and 

an upgrade to the discharge status of such veterans, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Women Involuntarily 

5 Separated Earning Remittance Act of 2024’’ or the 

6 ‘‘WISER Act of 2024’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION BENEFIT 

2 AND DISCHARGE STATUS UPGRADES FOR 

3 CERTAIN VETERANS WHO ARE WOMEN DIS4 CHARGED PURSUANT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER 

5 10240. 

6 (a) DISCHARGE STATUS UPGRADE PROGRAM.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 

8 amounts made available in advance in appropriations 

9 Acts, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordina10 tion with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish 

11 and carry out a program to, subject to the eligibility 

12 criteria under subsection (c) and conditions to be 

13 prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, upgrade the 

14 discharge status of covered veterans. 

15 (2) APPLICATIONS.—A covered veteran desiring 

16 to participate in such program shall submit to the 

17 Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of 

18 Defense an application in such form, at such time, 

19 and containing such information and assurances as 

20 such Secretaries determine appropriate. 

21 (3) TREATMENT OF CERTAIN COVERED VET22 ERANS.—With respect to the provision of benefits 

23 under the laws administered by the Secretary of Vet24 erans Affairs, such Secretary shall treat a covered 

25 veteran who receives a discharge status upgrade pur26 suant to such program as if such covered veteran 


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1 completed the duty to which such covered veteran 

2 was assigned at the time such covered veteran was 

3 separated from active military, naval, air, or space 

4 service. 

5 (b) COMPENSATION BENEFIT PROGRAM.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 

7 shall establish and carry out a program to provide 

8 to covered veterans, subject to the eligibility criteria 

9 under subsection (c) and paragraph (2), a one-time 

10 compensation benefit in the amount of $25,000. 

11 (2) SURVIVING SPOUSE ELIGIBILITY.—If a cov12 ered veteran who satisfies the eligibility criteria 

13 under subsection (c) dies after the date of the enact14 ment of this Act, the surviving spouse of such cov15 ered veteran shall be eligible for participation in the 

16 program under paragraph (1). 

17 (3) APPLICATIONS.—A covered veteran, or the 

18 surviving spouse of a covered veteran, desiring to 

19 participate in such program shall submit to the Sec20 retary of Defense an application in such form, at 

21 such time, and containing such information and as22 surances as the Secretary determines appropriate. 

23 (4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

24 There are authorized to be appropriated to the SecVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Oct 04, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9725.IH H9725

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1 retary of Defense such sums as may be necessary to 

2 carry out this subsection. 

3 (c) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.— 

4 (1) IRREBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION.—There is 

5 an irrebuttable presumption of eligibility for partici6 pation in the programs under subsections (a) and 

7 (b) for a covered veteran who was involuntarily sepa8 rated from active military, naval, air, or space serv9 ice pursuant to Executive Order 10240. 

10 (2) REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTIONS.—There is a 

11 rebuttable presumption for eligibility for participa12 tion in such programs for a covered veteran who— 

13 (A) gave birth to a child, obtained legal or 

14 physical custody of a child, or adopted a child 

15 during the 10-month period beginning after the 

16 date the veteran was separated from active mili17 tary, naval, air, or space service; or 

18 (B) experienced an incomplete pregnancy 

19 (including due to an abortion or miscarriage) 

20 during such 10-month period. 

21 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

22 (1) The term ‘‘active military, naval, air, or 

23 space service’’ has the meaning given such term in 

24 section 101 of title 10, United States Code. 


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1 (2) The term ‘‘covered veteran’’ means a vet2 eran who— 

3 (A) is a woman; and 

4 (B) performed active military, naval, air, 

5 or space service during the period beginning on 

6 April 27, 1951 and ending on February 23, 

7 1976. 

Æ 


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