H.R. 1288: World War II Merchant Mariner Service Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-03-04 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-03-04 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Butterfield, G. K. [D-NC-1] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

World War II Merchant Mariner Service Act

Plain summary

World War II Merchant Mariner Service Act Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to accept additional documentation for verifying that an individual performed honorable service as a coastwise merchant seaman during the period beginning on December 7, 1941, and ending on December 31, 1946, for purposes of eligibility for veterans' benefits under the GI Bill Improvement Act of 1977. Requires such documentation to include Social Security Administration records and validated testimony in the case of the absence of Coast Guard shipping or discharge forms, ship logbooks, documents, or other official employment records. Requires the Secretary, when determining whether to recognize service allegedly performed during such period, to recognize masters of seagoing vessels or other command officers who were authorized to document an individual for purposes of hiring for or discharging from the merchant marine. Considers any service so recognized as active-duty service for purposes of veterans' burial benefits. Makes such veterans eligible for any appropriate military medals, ribbons, and decorations. Requires the Secretary to verify that an individual performed such service under honorable conditions without regard to their sex, age, or disability during the service period.

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

World War II Merchant Mariner Service Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Butterfield, G. K. [D-NC-1] · 167 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), John Garamendi (D-CA), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), William R. Keating (D-MA), Richard Hudson (R-NC), David Rouzer (R-NC), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Alma S. Adams (D-NC), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) and 107 more.

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.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr1288.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr1288 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114