I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 850
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide special compensation 
for former prisoners of war, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 13, 2003
Mr. SIMPSON (for himself, Mr. COX, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr. DREIER, Mr. HYDE, 
Mr. KOLBE, Mr. LEACH, Mr. OTTER, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, and Mr. 
WILSON of South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide special 
compensation for former prisoners of war, and for other 
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Former Prisoners of 
War Special Compensation Act of 2003’’.
SEC. 2. SPECIAL COMPENSATION FOR FORMER PRISONERS 
OF WAR. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 11 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subchapter: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VII—FORMER PRISONERS OF 
WAR 
‘‘§ 1181. Special compensation: former prisoners of 
war 
‘‘(a)(1) The Secretary shall pay monthly to each vet-
eran who is a former prisoner of war and who while a 
prisoner of war was detained or interned for not less than 
30 days special compensation at the rate specified in sub-
section (b). 
‘‘(2) For the purposes of this section, the term ‘vet-
eran’ includes an individual serving on active duty. 
‘‘(b) The rate of special compensation for purposes 
of this section shall be as follows: 
‘‘(1) If the former prisoner of war was detained 
or interned for a period of not more than 120 days, 
the monthly amount of special compensation payable 
shall be $150. 
‘‘(2) If the former prisoner of war was detained 
or interned for a period of more than 120 days and 
not more than 540 days, the monthly amount of spe-
cial compensation payable shall be $300.
‘‘(3) If the former prisoner of war was detained 
or interned for a period of more than 540 days, the 
monthly amount of special compensation payable 
shall be $450. 
‘‘(c) If a former prisoner of war was detained or in-
terned on two or more separate occasions, the cumulative 
length of all occasions of confinement or internment as 
a prisoner of war shall determine the monthly compensa-
tion rate payable under subsection (b). 
‘‘§ 1182. Provisions relating to special compensation 
for former prisoners of war 
‘‘(a) Special compensation payable under this sub-
chapter shall be paid in addition to any other payment 
under the laws of the United States. Amounts paid to an 
individual under this subchapter shall not be considered 
to be income or resources for purposes of determining eli-
gibility to receive benefits under any Federal or federally 
assisted program. 
‘‘(b) Special compensation payable under this sub-
chapter shall not be considered to be compensation within 
the meaning of that term in section 101(13) of this title. 
‘‘(c) The provisions of subsection (c) of section 1562 
of this title shall apply to special compensation under this 
subchapter in the same manner as to special pension 
under that section.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new items:
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VII—FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR 
‘‘1181. Special compensation: former prisoners of war. 
‘‘1182. Provisions relating to special compensation for former prisoners of 
war.’’.
SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION OF PROHIBITION ON PAYMENT
OF COMPENSATION FOR ALCOHOL OR DRUG-
RELATED DISABILITY. 
(a) CLARIFICATION.—Sections 1110 and 1131 of title 
38, United States Code, are each amended by inserting 
‘‘, even if the abuse is secondary to a service-connected 
disability’’ before the period at the end. 
(a) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) apply to any claim—
(1) filed on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act; or 
(2) filed before the date of the enactment of 
this Act and not finally decided as of that date. 
SEC. 4. OUTPATIENT DENTAL CARE FOR ALL FORMER 
PRISONERS OF WAR. 
Section 1712(a)(1)(F) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘and who was detained or 
interned for a period of not less than 90 days’’.
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