hiring the individual to perform service in the 
merchant marine or discharging an individual 
from such service. 
(2) TREATMENT OF OTHER DOCUMENTATION.— 
Other documentation accepted by the Secretary of 
Homeland Security pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) 
shall satisfy all requirements for eligibility of service 
during the period beginning on December 7, 1941, 
and ending on December 31, 1946. 
(3) BENEFITS ALLOWED.— 
(A) BURIAL BENEFITS ELIGIBILITY.—Serv-
ice of an individual that is considered active 
duty pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be consid-
ered as active duty service with respect to pro-
viding burial benefits under chapters 23 and 24 
of title 38, United States Code, to the individual. 
(B) 
MEDALS, 
RIBBONS, 
AND
DECORA-
TIONS.—An individual whose service is recog-
nized as active duty pursuant to paragraph (1) 
may be awarded an appropriate medal, ribbon, 
or other military decoration based on such serv-
ice. 
(C) STATUS OF VETERAN.—An individual 
whose service is recognized as active duty pursu-
ant to paragraph (1) shall be honored as a vet-
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eran but shall not be entitled by reason of such 
recognized service to any benefit that is not de-
scribed in this subsection. 
(4) DETERMINATION OF COASTWISE MERCHANT 
SEAMAN.—The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
verify that an individual performed service under 
honorable conditions that satisfies the requirements of 
a coastwise merchant seaman pursuant to this section 
without regard to the sex, age, or disability of the in-
dividual during the period in which the individual 
served as such a coastwise merchant seaman. 
(5) DEFINITION OF PRIMARY NEXT OF KIN.—In 
this section, the term ‘‘primary next of kin’’ with re-
spect to an individual seeking recognition for service 
under this section means the closest living relative of 
the individual who was alive during the period of 
such service. 
(6) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take ef-
fect 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 303. DESIGNATION OF AMERICAN WORLD WAR II CIT-
IES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall designate at least one city in the United States each 
year as an ‘‘American World War II City’’. 
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(b) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.—After the designa-
tion made under subsection (c), the Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of Defense, shall make each designa-
tion under subsection (a) based on the following criteria: 
(1) Contributions by a city to the war effort dur-
ing World War II, including those related to defense 
manufacturing, bond drives, service in the Armed 
Forces, and the presence of military facilities within 
the city. 
(2) Efforts by a city to preserve the history of the 
city’s contributions during World War II, including 
through the establishment of preservation organiza-
tions or museums, restoration of World War II facili-
ties, and recognition of World War II veterans. 
(c) FIRST AMERICAN WORLD WAR II CITY.—The city 
of Wilmington, North Carolina, is designated as an ‘‘Amer-
ican World War II City’’. 
SEC. 304. OBSERVANCE OF VETERANS DAY. 
(a) TWO MINUTES OF SILENCE.—Chapter 1 of title 36, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 145. Veterans Day 
‘‘The President shall issue each year a proclamation 
calling on the people of the United States to observe two 
minutes of silence on Veterans Day in honor of the service 
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and sacrifice of veterans throughout the history of the Na-
tion, beginning at— 
‘‘(1) 3:11 p.m. Atlantic standard time; 
‘‘(2) 2:11 p.m. eastern standard time; 
‘‘(3) 1:11 p.m. central standard time; 
‘‘(4) 12:11 p.m. mountain standard time; 
‘‘(5) 11:11 a.m. Pacific standard time; 
‘‘(6) 10:11 a.m. Alaska standard time; and 
‘‘(7) 9:11 a.m. Hawaii-Aleutian standard time.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for 
chapter 1 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘145. Veterans Day.’’. 
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to improve the 
processing of disability claims by the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, and for other purposes.’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 171 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 2189 
[Report No. 113–236] 
A BILL 
To establish a commission or task force to evaluate 
the backlog of disability claims of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs. 
SEPTEMBER 27, 2013 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed 
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