To provide for the payment of compensation to members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the United States who, as prisoners of war, performed slave labor for Japanese corporations during World War II, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to accept contributions in order to provide additional compensation to such members and employees, to encourage Japanese corporations that benefitted from the use of slave labor to make contributions for such additional compensation, and for other purposes.

Bill: 109-hr-5972
Sponsor: Rep. Hunter, Duncan [R-CA-52]
Introduced: 2006-07-28 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Class actions (Civil procedure)
Commerce
Compensation (Law)
East Asia
Evidence (Law)
Forced labor
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign corporations
Gifts
History
Human rights
International Affairs
Japan
Labor and Employment
Law
Legal fees
Prisoners of war
Slavery
Survivors' benefits
Veterans' pensions
World War II

Summary:
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Defense to pay compensation as prescribed under this Act to those living members of the Armed Forces and U.S. civilian employees who were captured by Japan, who were used as slave labor during World War II, and whose application for compensation is approved. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to accept any monetary contribution (with exceptions) made by any person upon on the condition that the contribution be used to provide such compensation to a selected veteran or civilian internee. Requires amounts received as contributions to be deposited in the Department of Defense General Gift Fund. 
 
States that, any amount paid to a selected veteran or civilian internee as compensation under this Act is in addition to any other amount paid to such veteran or civilian internee under any other provision of law as compensation for the performance of slave labor during World War II. 
 
Expresses the sense of Congress regarding contributions by certain Japanese corporations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-08-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities.
action_date: 2006-08-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Government Reform, 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.
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Government Reform, 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.
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Government Reform, 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.
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Government Reform, 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.
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: Introduced in House