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This bill would create two new programs for certain women veterans who were forced out of military service in the early 1950s through 1976. One program would let eligible veterans ask for an upgrade to their discharge status, which could help them qualify for veterans benefits as if they had finished the duty they were assigned. The other program would provide a one-time payment of $25,000 to eligible veterans, and in some cases to their surviving spouse if the veteran has died after the bill becomes law. The bill is aimed at women veterans who were separated from service under past policies tied to pregnancy and family circumstances.
- It covers women who served on active duty between April 27, 1951, and February 23, 1976.
- Women who were involuntarily separated under Executive Order 10240 would be automatically considered eligible for both programs.
- Other women veterans could also qualify if they gave birth, gained custody of a child, adopted a child, or had an incomplete pregnancy, such as a miscarriage or abortion, within 10 months after leaving service.
- The Veterans Affairs and Defense departments would run the discharge-upgrade program together, while the Defense Department would handle the $25,000 payment program.
Official Summaries
Women Involuntarily Separated Earning Remittance Act of 2025 or the WISER Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish and implement certain programs to address the involuntary separation of women veterans who served during the period of April 27, 1951, through February 23, 1976, under Executive Order 10240. Such order provided for the involuntary separation of women from service for (1) being a parent via birth or adoption, (2) gaining custody of a child, (3) being a step-parent who lived with the child more than 30 days per year, (4) being pregnant, or (5) giving birth to a living child while serving.
The VA must establish and implement a program to upgrade the discharge status of such women veterans, and DOD must establish and implement a program to provide them with a one-time compensation of $25,000. Veterans must apply to participate in such programs.
For benefits purposes, the VA must treat veterans who receive a discharge status upgrade as if the veteran completed the duty to which the veteran was assigned at the time they were discharged from service.
If a veteran dies after the enactment of this bill, a surviving spouse is eligible to participate in the DOD compensation program.
The bill provides a rebuttable presumption of eligibility for the programs for a veteran who gave birth, obtained custody, adopted a child, or experienced an incomplete pregnancy during the 10-month period after the veteran was separated from service.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 660 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 660
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of
Defense to carry out programs to provide to certain veterans who are
women a compensation benefit and an upgrade to the discharge status of
such veterans, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 23, 2025
Ms. Brownley (for herself, Ms. Houlahan, Mr. Gottheimer, and Ms. Omar)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of
Defense to carry out programs to provide to certain veterans who are
women a compensation benefit and an upgrade to the discharge status of
such veterans, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Women Involuntarily Separated
Earning Remittance Act of 2025'' or the ``WISER Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION BENEFIT AND DISCHARGE STATUS
UPGRADES FOR CERTAIN VETERANS WHO ARE WOMEN DISCHARGED
PURSUANT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER 10240.
(a) Discharge Status Upgrade Program.--
(1) In general.--Subject to the availability of amounts
made available in advance in appropriations Acts, the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the Secretary of
Defense, shall establish and carry out a program to, subject to
the eligibility criteria under subsection (c) and conditions to
be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, upgrade the
discharge status of covered veterans.
(2) Applications.--A covered veteran desiring to
participate in such program shall submit to the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense an application in
such form, at such time, and containing such information and
assurances as such Secretaries determine appropriate.
(3) Treatment of certain covered veterans.--With respect to
the provision of benefits under the laws administered by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, such Secretary shall treat a
covered veteran who receives a discharge status upgrade
pursuant to such program as if such covered veteran completed
the duty to which such covered veteran was assigned at the time
such covered veteran was separated from active military, naval,
air, or space service.
(b) Compensation Benefit Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish
and carry out a program to provide to covered veterans, subject
to the eligibility criteria under subsection (c) and paragraph
(2), a one-time compensation benefit in the amount of $25,000.
(2) Surviving spouse eligibility.--If a covered veteran who
satisfies the eligibility criteria under subsection (c) dies
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the surviving
spouse of such covered veteran shall be eligible for
participation in the program under paragraph (1).
(3) Applications.--A covered veteran, or the surviving
spouse of a covered veteran, desiring to participate in such
program shall submit to the Secretary of Defense an application
in such form, at such time, and containing such information and
assurances as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense such sums as may
be necessary to carry out this subsection.
(c) Eligibility Criteria.--
(1) Irrebuttable presumption.--There is an irrebuttable
presumption of eligibility for participation in the programs
under subsections (a) and (b) for a covered veteran who was
involuntarily separated from active military, naval, air, or
space service pursuant to Executive Order 10240.
(2) Rebuttable presumptions.--There is a rebuttable
presumption for eligibility for participation in such programs
for a covered veteran who--
(A) gave birth to a child, obtained legal or
physical custody of a child, or adopted a child during
the 10-month period beginning after the date the
veteran was separated from active military, naval, air,
or space service; or
(B) experienced an incomplete pregnancy (including
due to an abortion or miscarriage) during such 10-month
period.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``active military, naval, air, or space
service'' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of
title 10, United States Code.
(2) The term ``covered veteran'' means a veteran who--
(A) is a woman; and
(B) performed active military, naval, air, or space
service during the period beginning on April 27, 1951
and ending on February 23, 1976.
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