A HOUSE RESOLUTION urging congress to enact legislation that will lead to the recognition of world war II coastwise merchant mariners as veterans of the united states armed forces.
Whereas, during World War II, United States Merchant Mariners who served along the coastline of the United States, and were known as Coastwise Merchant Mariners, helped to transport materials, including food, clothing, and weapons, to members of the United States Armed Forces serving on three continents; and
Whereas, the Coastwise Merchant Mariners bravely performed their duties even as they were in danger of attack from German U‑boats operating along our nation's coastal waters; and
Whereas, many of the Coastwise Merchant Mariners were elderly, handicapped, women, and underage children who stepped forward in the time of a national crisis to ensure that the members of the United States Armed Forces were sufficiently supplied as they fought enemy forces; and
Whereas, because of administrative rules and decisions made by the United States Navy, many Coastwise Merchant Mariners who served during World War II were not recognized as veterans and thus were not eligible for the veterans benefits they had earned; and
Whereas, in the years following World War II, as a result of some changes in federal law and federal rules and regulations, some of the Coastwise Merchant Mariners previously denied veterans benefits were finally recognized as veterans and therefore entitled to the same benefits as other veterans of the United States Armed Forces; and
Whereas, despite the past recognition of some Coastwise Merchant Mariners as veterans, as many as 30,000 Coastwise Merchant Mariners may never get that recognition due to the documentation required to prove their service during World War II; and
Whereas, through no fault of these courageous individuals, much of the documentation proving they served their country during World War II as Coastwise Merchant Mariners has been lost or destroyed or was never recorded; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  The House of Representatives honors the brave men, women, and children who valiantly served our country as Coastwise Merchant Mariners during World War II.
SECTION 2.  The House of Representatives urges Congress to do the following:
(1)	Conduct congressional inquiries into (i) the lack of recognition given to the World War II Coastwise Merchant Mariners who were lost in action without having been recognized by our nation as veterans and (ii) the reason World War II Coastwise Merchant Mariners records that are known to exist have not been moved to the National Records Center for use by families and researchers in accordance with agreements between the National Archives and Records Administration and the Department of Defense.
(2)	Enact legislation that expands the types of acceptable documentation that Coastwise Merchant Mariners may use to prove their service during World War II, and to thereafter require that those who can provide the documentation be finally recognized as veterans entitled to the accompanying benefits.
SECTION 3.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore and the Secretary of the United States Senate, the members of the North Carolina Congressional delegation, and the news media of North Carolina.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.