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3 <br />PROPOSAL <br />Committee: <br />Bill No: <br />Principal Author: <br />Delegation: <br />Title: Alternative Methods of Recognition for Veteran Status to Merchant Marine Seamen of WW II <br />Be It Enacted by the one hundred & eleventh Congress of the United States <br />1. Preamble: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of <br />2. America in congress assembled; Public Law 95-202 & 105-368 provided veteran status for members <br />3. of the U.S Merchant Marine who served during WW II between 07 Dec, 1941 and 31 Dec, 1946 and <br />4. who were able to prove their service. Various actions by governmental personnel have destroyed or <br />5. caused these documents to be unavailable. These actions prohibit merchant marine veterans of <br />6. WW II from receiving the recognition and benefits of veteran's status provided by these laws. <br />7. Alternative methods to prove service are required, as just compensation, for records lost by <br />8. government actions. <br />9. SECTION 1: Records held by the Social Security Administration that denote dates, wages earned and <br />10. companies employed shall be utilized when USCG forms 718 (any date) or other official data such <br />11. as ship's logbook, etc, are not available. <br />12. SECTION 2: Validated testimony from the veteran or primary next of kin as to employment shall be <br />13. allowed to determine eligibility; and <br />14. SECTION 3: Other official documentation offered by the veteran, shall constitute replacement of <br />15. records that were destroyed or from other actions causing the required records to be unavailable <br />16. that were committed by those responsible for the control and maintenance of veteran records. <br />17. SECTION 4: For the timeframe between 07 December, 1941 and 31 December, 1946, masters of <br />18. seagoing vessels shall be recognized as agents of the United States authorized to document <br />19. crew members as it applies to the shipping and discharge of seaman for purposes of employment. <br />20. SECTION 5: These replacements records shall satisfy all requirements for eligibility of service during <br />21. the required timeframe 07 December, 1941 and 31 December, 1946. <br />22. SECTION 6: This bill will go into effect 91 days after passage_ <br />