119-S1665

Bill is currently in: Senate
Path to Law
House Senate President

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1665

1. Short title
2. Definition of secrecy oath program
3. Notice to veterans of secrecy oath programs regarding benefits
4. Effective dates of awards of disability compensation for participants in secrecy oath programs

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the "Obligations to Aberdeen’s Trusted Heroes Act of 2025" or the "OATH Act of 2025".

2. Definition of secrecy oath program

Section 5100 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(3) - The term secrecy oath program means a United States Government program in which participants are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement preventing the disclosure of any information regarding the program under penalty of court-martial or criminal punishment.

3. Notice to veterans of secrecy oath programs regarding benefits

(a) Notice required

(1) In general - Section 6303 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(A) - by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e) as subsections (d), (e), and (f), respectively; and

(B) Notice to veterans of secrecy oath programs - by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection (c):

(c) Notice to veterans of secrecy oath programs

(1) - Not later than 90 days after the date on which participants in a secrecy oath program are released from the oath taken under such program, the Secretary shall—

(A) - identify the veterans who participated in the program;

(B) - notify each such veteran of all benefits and services under laws administered by the Department for which the veteran may be eligible; and

(C) - distribute the information described in subsection (d)(1) as required by such subsection.

(2) - If the Secretary identifies any veterans who are entitled to notice under paragraph (1) and did not receive such notice, the Secretary shall, not later than 90 days after the date of any such identification—

(A) - notify each such veteran of all benefits and services under laws administered by the Department for which the veteran may be eligible; and

(B) - distribute the information described in subsection (d)(1) as required by such subsection.

(3) - In this subsection, the term secrecy oath program has the meaning given that term in section 5100 of this title.

(2) Conforming amendments - Section 6303 of such title is further amended—

(A) - in subsection (a), by striking "through (d)" and inserting "through (e)"; and

(B) - in subsection (e), as redesignated by subsection (a)(1)(A), by striking "subsections (b) and (c)" and inserting "subsections (b), (c), and (d)".

(b) Edgewood Arsenal program - Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall—

(1) - identify the veterans who participated in the secrecy oath program at Edgewood Arsenal at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, at any time during the period beginning on January 1, 1948, and ending on December 31, 1975;

(2) - notify each such veteran of all benefits and services under laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs for which the veteran may be eligible; and

(3) - distribute the information described in section 6303(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a), as required by such section.

4. Effective dates of awards of disability compensation for participants in secrecy oath programs

Section 5110(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(5)

(A) - The effective date of an award of disability compensation to a veteran described in subparagraph (B) shall be the day following the date of the veteran’s discharge or release.

(B) - A veteran described in this subparagraph is a veteran who—

(i) - participated in the secrecy oath program at Edgewood Arsenal at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, at any time during the period beginning on January 1, 1948, and ending on December 31, 1975; or

(ii) - participated in any other secrecy oath program not described in clause (i).