II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 3237 

To amend the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 to ensure claimants are 

adequately informed regarding filing a Federal cause of action. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 7, 2023 

Mr. TILLIS introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To amend the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 to ensure 

claimants are adequately informed regarding filing a 

Federal cause of action. 

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 ‘‘Patriot Bill of Rights’’. 

5 SEC. 2. INFORMATION REGARDING FEDERAL CAUSE OF AC6 TIONS RELATING TO WATER AT CAMP 

7 LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Camp Lejeune Justice Act 

9 of 2022 (28 U.S.C. 2671 note prec.) is amended by adding 

10 at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘(k) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.— 

2 ‘‘(1) GUIDANCE AND ADVICE SERVICES.—An in3 dividual, or the legal representative of an individual, 

4 bringing a cause of action under subsection (b) shall 

5 sign a written acknowledgment, provided by the at6 torney, indicating that the individual or legal rep7 resentative bringing the action understands that the 

8 individual or legal representative may seek guidance 

9 and advice free of charge from— 

10 ‘‘(A) organizations recognized under sec11 tion 5902 of title 38, United States Code; 

12 ‘‘(B) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; 

13 ‘‘(C) the congressional representatives of 

14 the individual or legal representative; and 

15 ‘‘(D) the Tort Claims Unit of the Depart16 ment of the Navy. 

17 ‘‘(2) OTHER REQUIRED ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.— 

18 An attorney representing an individual or the legal 

19 representative of an individual in a cause of action 

20 brought under subsection (b) shall file with the Sec21 retary of the Navy a written acknowledgment signed 

22 by the individual or legal representative indicating 

23 that the individual or legal representative under24 stands— 


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1 ‘‘(A) legal representation by an attorney is 

2 not required to file an action; and 

3 ‘‘(B) the attorney’s fee arrangement re4 garding representation in the action, which 

5 shall include an acknowledgment of whether the 

6 fee arrangement is one under which the total 

7 amount of the fee payable to the attorney is— 

8 ‘‘(i) to be paid to the attorney by the 

9 claimant, subsequent to the allocation of 

10 the award; or 

11 ‘‘(ii) contingent on whether the matter 

12 is resolved in a manner favorable to the 

13 claimant. 

14 ‘‘(3) APPLICATION TO PENDING MATTERS.— 

15 For any cause of action brought under subsection 

16 (b) that is pending on the date of enactment of this 

17 subsection, not later than 90 days after such date of 

18 enactment, the individual bringing the action, the 

19 legal representative of the individual, or the attorney 

20 for the individual or legal representative, as applica21 ble, shall file the acknowledgments described in 

22 paragraphs (1) and (2). 

23 ‘‘(4) ADVERTISING.—A law firm that receives 

24 veteran data from an advertising agency shall reduce 


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1 the attorney’s legal fee in an amount equal to the 

2 cost incurred by the law firm to receive the data.’’. 

3 (b) SEVERABILITY.—If any provision of the amend4 ment made by subsection (a), or the application of such 

5 a provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be 

6 unconstitutional, the remaining provisions of the amend7 ment made by subsection (a), the other provisions of the 

8 Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (28 U.S.C. 2671 note 

9 prec.), and the application of the provision of the amend10 ment made by subsection (a) held to be unconstitutional 

11 to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected 

12 thereby. 

Æ 


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