SEC. 2. PAYMENTS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED DURING 
WORLD WAR II IN THE UNITED STATES MER-
CHANT MARINE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF COMPENSATION FUND.— 
Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 533. Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund 
‘‘(a) COMPENSATION FUND.—(1) There is in the gen-
eral fund of the Treasury a fund to be known as the ‘Mer-
chant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund’ (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘compensation fund’). 
‘‘(2) Subject to the availability of appropriations for 
such purpose, amounts in the compensation fund shall be 
available to the Secretary without fiscal year limitation to 
make payments to eligible individuals in accordance with 
this section. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.—(1) An eligible indi-
vidual is an individual who— 
‘‘(A) during the one-year period beginning on 
the date of the enactment of this section, submits to 
the Secretary an application containing such infor-
mation and assurances as the Secretary may require; 
‘‘(B) has not received benefits under the Serv-
icemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (Public Law 
78–346); and 
‘‘(C) has engaged in qualified service. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:46 Jan 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H39.IH
H39
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), a person has en-
gaged in qualified service if, between December 7, 1941, 
and December 31, 1946, the person— 
‘‘(A) was a member of the United States mer-
chant marine (including the Army Transport Service 
and the Naval Transport Service) serving as a crew-
member of a vessel that was— 
‘‘(i) operated by the War Shipping Admin-
istration or the Office of Defense Transpor-
tation (or an agent of the Administration or Of-
fice); 
‘‘(ii) operated in waters other than inland 
waters, the Great Lakes, and other lakes, bays, 
and harbors of the United States; 
‘‘(iii) under contract or charter to, or prop-
erty of, the Government of the United States; 
and 
‘‘(iv) serving the Armed Forces; and 
‘‘(B) while so serving, was licensed or otherwise 
documented for service as a crewmember of such a 
vessel by an officer or employee of the United States 
authorized to license or document the person for 
such service. 
‘‘(3) In determining the information and assurances 
required in the application pursuant to paragraph (1)(A), 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:46 Jan 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H39.IH
H39
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
the Secretary shall accept a DD–214 form as proof of 
qualified service. 
‘‘(c) AMOUNT OF PAYMENT.—The Secretary shall 
make one payment out of the compensation fund in the 
amount of $25,000 to an eligible individual. The Secretary 
shall make such a payment to eligible individuals in the 
order in which the Secretary receives the applications of 
the eligible individuals. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2026 
$125,000,000 for the compensation fund. Such amount 
shall remain available until expended. 
‘‘(e) REPORTS.—The Secretary shall include, in docu-
ments submitted to Congress by the Secretary in support 
of the President’s budget for each fiscal year, detailed in-
formation on the operation of the compensation fund, in-
cluding the number of applicants, the number of eligible 
individuals receiving benefits, the amounts paid out of the 
compensation fund, the administration of the compensa-
tion fund, and an estimate of the amounts necessary to 
fully fund the compensation fund for that fiscal year and 
each of the three subsequent fiscal years. 
‘‘(f) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall prescribe 
regulations to carry out this section.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:46 Jan 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H39.IH
H39
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
prescribe the regulations required under section 532(f) of 
title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item related to section 532 the following new 
item: 
‘‘533. Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:46 Jan 28, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H39.IH
H39
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS