Title: Recognizing Officers and Enlisted Men of the Korean Constabulary Act of 2017
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Recognizing Officers and Enlisted Men of the Korean Constabulary Act of 2017
This bill commends the veterans of the Korean Constabulary and thanks them for their support during the difficult times leading to the establishment of South Korea. (The Korean Constabulary undertook internal security tasks on behalf of the U.S. military government in Korea and the South Korean people from November 1945 to January 1949.)
The Department of State shall seek to urge the South Korean government to: (1) reexamine Article 16-9 of South Korea's Military Pension Act, and (2) expeditiously locate the records and remains of 7,235 combat dead of the Korean Constabulary. (Article 16-9 of South Korea's Military Pension Act denies veterans of the Korean Constabulary coverage for their service prior to the establishment of South Korea.)
The Department of Defense shall submit a report that: (1) describes potential awards and recognition for officers and enlisted men of the Korean Constabulary, and (2) examines the possibility of establishing new awards and recognition for those individuals if no awards or recognition currently apply.
The bill includes among persons who are eligible for interment in national cemeteries any veteran of the Korean Constabulary who, at the time of death, resided in the United States and was a citizen of, or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in, the United States.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1383 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1383

To direct certain actions of the United States Government with respect 
  to recognizing the service and sacrifice of veterans of the Korean 
                 Constabulary, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 7, 2017

    Mr. Bacon (for himself, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Marshall, and Mr. Taylor) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
    Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' 
Affairs, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
        fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct certain actions of the United States Government with respect 
  to recognizing the service and sacrifice of veterans of the Korean 
                 Constabulary, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Recognizing Officers and Enlisted 
Men of the Korean Constabulary Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) From November 1945 to January 1949, the Korean 
        Constabulary undertook internal security tasks on behalf of the 
        United States Military Government in Korea and the people of 
        South Korea.
            (2) The Korean Constabulary was initially intended to 
        supplement United States military operations during the 
        unification and independence of South Korea.
            (3) Within two years of its organization, the Korean 
        Constabulary consisted of 25,000 officers and enlisted men.
            (4) Civil conflict in Korea compelled officers and enlisted 
        men of the Korean Constabulary to defend their fledgling 
        country against internal unrest.
            (5) The Korean Constabulary was under the jurisdiction of 
        the Department of National Defense, which later became known as 
        the Department of Internal Security of the United States 
        Military Government in Korea.
            (6) The Korean Constabulary was the core force upon which 
        the Korean Army was established on August 5, 1948.
            (7) The Korean Government excluded officers and enlisted 
        men of the Korean Constabulary from benefits when it enacted 
        the Republic of Korea's Military Pension Act, specifically 
        Article 16-9, which states that the calculation of service 
        period shall not include years prior to 1948, the establishment 
        year of the Government of the Republic of Korea.
            (8) Veterans of the Korean Constabulary believe they have 
        been treated unfairly because they have not been granted 
        pension or aid for healthcare and have been denied Korean 
        military awards and distinguished honors, such as promotion, 
        because their years of service before January 1949 are 
        unaccounted for.
            (9) The Government of the Republic of Korea owes veterans 
        of the Korean Constabulary due compensation for their service 
        to the Government of the Republic of Korea.
            (10) Veterans of the Korean Constabulary would like to be 
        honored by the Republic of Korea for their service to the 
        Korean Constabulary.

SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY.

    Congress commends the veterans of the Korean Constabulary for their 
bravery and honorable service and thanks them for their support during 
the difficult times leading to the establishment of the Republic of 
Korea.

SEC. 4. ACTIONS WITH RESPECT TO GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA.

    The Secretary of State shall seek to urge the Government of the 
Republic of Korea--
            (1) to reexamine Article 16-9 of the Republic of Korea's 
        Military Pension Act; and
            (2) to expeditiously locate the records and remains of 
        7,235 combat dead of the Korean Constabulary.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

    The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report that 
contains the following:
            (1) A description of potential awards and recognition for 
        officers and enlisted men of the Korean Constabulary.
            (2) If no such awards or recognition would apply, an 
        examination of the possibility of establishing new such awards 
        and recognition.

SEC. 6. INTERMENT OF KOREAN CONSTABULARY VETERANS.

    Section 2402(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(10)(A) An individual who served as an officer or 
        enlisted man of the Korean Constabulary and at the time of 
        death--
                    ``(i) was a citizen of the United States or an 
                alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the 
                United States; and
                    ``(ii) resided in the United States.
            ``(B) In this paragraph, the term `Korean Constabulary' 
        means the constabulary force that provided internal security in 
        Korea on behalf of the United States Military Government in 
        Korea from November 1945 to January 1949.''.
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