(3) STATUS OF VETERAN.—An individual whose 
service is recognized as active duty pursuant to sub-
section (a) shall be honored as a veteran but shall not 
be entitled by reason of such recognized service to any 
benefit that is not described in this subsection. 
(d) DETERMINATION OF COASTWISE MERCHANT SEA-
MAN.—The Secretary of Homeland Security shall verify 
that an individual performed service under honorable con-
ditions that satisfies the requirements of a coastwise mer-
chant seaman pursuant to this section without regard to 
the sex, age, or disability of the individual during the pe-
riod in which the individual served as such a coastwise mer-
chant seaman. 
(e) DEFINITION OF PRIMARY NEXT OF KIN.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘primary next of kin’’ with respect 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. 
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 16. 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. 17. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING AMERICAN VET-
ERANS DISABLED FOR LIFE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) There are at least 3,600,000 veterans cur-
rently living with service-connected disabilities. 
(2) As a result of their service, many veterans 
are permanently disabled throughout their lives and 
in many cases must rely on the support of their fami-
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lies and friends when these visible and invisible bur-
dens become too much to bear alone. 
(3) October 5, which is the anniversary of the 
dedication of the American Veterans Disabled for Life 
Memorial, has been recognized as an appropriate day 
on which to honor American veterans disabled for life 
each year. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—Congress— 
(1) expresses its appreciation to the men and 
women left permanently wounded, ill, or injured as a 
result of their service in the Armed Forces; 
(2) supports the annual recognition of American 
veterans disabled for life each year; and 
(3) encourages the American people to honor 
American veterans disabled for life each year with ap-
propriate programs and activities. 
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Union Calendar No. 308 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 677 
[Report No. 114–405] 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide 
for annual cost-of-living adjustments to be made 
automatically by law each year in the rates of 
disability compensation for veterans with service- 
connected disabilities and the rates of depend-
ency and indemnity compensation for survivors of 
certain service-connected disabled veterans. 
FEBRUARY 1, 2016 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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