# 117-hr-8925: To provide eligibility for veterans benefits for individuals who served in the United States merchant marine in the Southeast Asia theater of operations during the Vietnam Era.

117-hr-8925, To provide eligibility for veterans benefits for individuals who served in the United States merchant marine in the Southeast Asia theater of operations during the Vietnam Era., is a 117th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI] (D-MI); status Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. (as of 2025-11-18).

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- As of: 2025-11-18
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## Facts
- Bill: 117-hr-8925
- Congress: 117
- Title: To provide eligibility for veterans benefits for individuals who served in the United States merchant marine in the Southeast Asia theater of operations during the Vietnam Era.
- Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
- Introduced: 2022-09-20
- Sponsor: Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI] (D-MI)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

This bill requires that the service of specified U.S. merchant marines be considered as active duty for purposes of determining the individual's eligibility for veterans benefits. Specifically, the bill applies to merchant marines who served as crewmembers of vessels in oceangoing service during the Vietnam Era in the Southeast Asia theater of operations and receive a certificate of honorable discharge.

## Related bills

- 117-hr-6833: Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023
- 117-hr-4693: Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021
- 117-hr-1448: PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act
- 117-hr-3537: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act
- 117-hr-5142: To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal, in commemoration to the servicemembers who perished in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, during the evacuation…
- 117-hr-263: Big Cat Public Safety Act

## Sources
- [117-hr-8925 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8925)

## Related
- [117-hr-6833: Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-6833)
- [117-hr-4693: Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-4693)
- [117-hr-1448: PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-1448)
- [117-hr-3537: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-3537)
- [117-hr-5142: To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal, in commemoration to the servi…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5142)
- [117-hr-263: Big Cat Public Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-263)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-8925 (as of 2025-11-18).