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H.R. 348: Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2003

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H.R. 348: Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2003

108th Congress · introduced 2003-01-27 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Provision incorporated. See H. R. 4175, Section 4.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2003-01-27 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Bilirakis, Michael [R-FL-9] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Provision incorporated. See H. R. 4175, Section 4. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2003

Plain summary

Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2003 - Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions with respect to former prisoners of war to repeal the currently required: (1) 30-day minimum period of internment prior to the presumption of service connection for certain listed diseases, for purposes of the payment of veterans' disability compensation; and (2) 90-day minimum period of internment prior to eligibility for dental care furnished through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Adds the following to the listed diseases under (1), above: heart disease, stroke, liver disease, diabetes (type 2), and osteoporosis. Requires: (1) such presumption also with respect to any disease that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines warrants such presumption by reason of having a positive association with the experience of being a prisoner of war; and (2) the Secretary to make such a determination within 60 days after a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War that such presumption be established for a non-listed disease.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2003

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Bilirakis, Michael [R-FL-9] · 59 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 348, Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2003 (2004-01-29); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 348, Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2003 (2004-01-29)

Cosponsors on this site

Joe Wilson (R-SC), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Maxine Waters (D-CA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong108-hr348 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108