# 119-hr-9520: War Hazards Compensation Reform Act

119-hr-9520, War Hazards Compensation Reform Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-15).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9520
- As of: 2026-07-15
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-9520
- Congress: 119
- Title: War Hazards Compensation Reform Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-06-29
- Sponsor: Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Labor and Employment
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-07-15

## Summary

**Holding the federal government financially accountable for WHCA reimbursement delays.** This bill would standardize claim paperwork and speed reimbursements under the War Hazards Compensation Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. - Claimants and beneficiaries: Requires specified documentation and creates a deemed acknowledgment if the Department of Labor’s Division of Federal Employees' Compensation does not respond within 14 days, and it applies interest on late reimbursements starting 60 days after an acknowledgment. It also preserves existing benefit entitlements. - Insurers and contractors: Prohibits requiring collateral, security, or other financial assurances for WHCA-reimbursable liabilities under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, lowering their costs and administrative burden. - Agency operations and timing: Requires the Division of Federal Employees' Compensation to hire at least 15 full-time staff and directs the Secretary of Labor to issue implementing and conforming regulations within 180 days to improve processing and reduce backlog.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Faster reimbursements for injured workers: benefit, medium. This bill would require the Labor Department's DFEC to hire at least 15 full-time staff to handle war hazards reimbursement claims. If you file a WHCA reimbursement claim, DFEC would have 14 days to send an acknowledgement or a list of missing items. If DFEC misses that deadline, the claim would be…
- No collateral for war-hazard claims: benefit, low. This bill would prohibit the Secretary from requiring an insurance carrier to post collateral, security, or other financial assurance for liabilities tied to WHCA-reimbursable claims. The prohibition would apply on enactment and would operate notwithstanding conflicting provisions of the Longshore…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-4393: DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025
- 119-hr-9086: Foreign Service Modernization Act
- 119-hr-3633: Digital Asset Market Clarity Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-9520 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9520)

## Related
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6644)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-4393: DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4393)
- [119-hr-9086: Foreign Service Modernization Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9086)
- [119-hr-3633: Digital Asset Market Clarity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3633)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9520 (as of 2026-07-15).