Vieques Recovery and Redevelopment Act of 2023 This bill provides a framework to compensate certain residents of the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, for the use of such island for military readiness. The bill sets forth provisions regarding award amounts for individuals and for claims by the municipality of Vieques. An individual claimant shall be awarded monetary compensation if the claimant contracted a chronic, life threatening, or physical or mental disease or illness, during or after the government used the island for military readiness.
Impact
One of the main provisions of HB379 is the establishment of a compensation system administered by a Special Master. Eligible claimants may receive varying amounts based on the number of diseases they contracted, with awards starting at $50,000 for one illness and escalating for multiple conditions. This approach aims to address the humanitarian crisis on Vieques, where residents have long struggled with inadequate medical support and services, exacerbated by the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017, which destroyed existing healthcare facilities.
Summary
House Bill 379, also known as the Vieques Recovery and Redevelopment Act of 2023, aims to provide compensation to certain residents of the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. This bill comes in response to the health impacts suffered by residents over decades due to military activities on the island, which have led to high levels of heavy metals and other toxins. The legislation outlines a framework for individual claims, allowing residents who have suffered illnesses linked to the military's use of the island to seek financial restitution.
Contention
The bill reflects a significant shift in acknowledging the rights and suffering of Vieques residents, who had previously faced barriers to legal remedy due to sovereign immunity. While the intent is to provide much-needed relief, there may be ongoing debates regarding the adequacy of the proposed compensation amounts and the effectiveness of the measures put in place to improve healthcare access on the island. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the environmental cleanup, as the bill also posits the appointment of an academic partner to address long-term pollution, which may involve significant logistical and environmental challenges.
Modern GI Bill Act This bill authorizes individuals who are entitled to educational assistance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill to apply amounts of such assistance to repay federal student loans for up to 36 months. The bill sets a cap and annual cost-of-living increases for the amount of educational assistance that may be paid to an individual under this bill during FY2024 and the following years.
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish the Military Firefighters Compensation Fund to provide compensation to current and former military firefighters, or survivors of such firefighters, for illnesses incurred in the line of duty due to exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS. PFAS are man-made and may have adverse human health effects.Under the bill, current and former military firefighters are presumed to have been exposed to PFAS (in the absence of substantial evidence to the contrary) if the firefighter was employed at a military installation, facility of the National Guard, or formerly used defense site during a period when PFAS would have been present at such facility.The bill provides that in cases where a military firefighter is deceased at the time of payment of compensation, the surviving spouse must receive the payment. If there is no surviving spouse, the bill provides for the order of distribution to other surviving parties (e.g., a child or parent of the firefighter). The bill also provides that a survivor of a firefighter may file a claim for compensation if the firefighter dies before filing a claim.DOD must furnish the services, appliances, and supplies prescribed or recommended to a military firefighter who is receiving medical benefits for an illness related to PFAS exposure. Additionally, such firefighter may be furnished necessary and reasonable transportation and expenses incident to securing care for such illness.