Bill · S. 1656· Senate(119-S-1656)
Vieques Recovery and Redevelopment Act
- Introduced
- 5/7/2025
- Last activity
- 5/7/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Roger Wicker
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Vieques Recovery and Redevelopment Act provides monetary compensation to certain residents of Vieques, Puerto Rico, who suffered health issues due to U.S. military readiness activities. It establishes a Special Master to process these claims and award payments based on the number and type of diseases contracted. The bill also provides the Municipality of Vieques with resources to build and operate a level three trauma center, including a cancer center and renal dialysis unit. Additionally, it funds an academic partner to research environmental toxins and aims to establish a hurricane-resilient power source for the island. Total awards under the Act are limited to $1 billion.
Yes· 3 of 26
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+9
Establishes a level three trauma center, cancer center, and renal dialysis unit on the island.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+8
Direct payments and free medical screenings provide critical support to low-income residents.
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?+8
Directly benefits the residents of Vieques, Puerto Rico, who are predominantly Hispanic.
The opposite
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-5
The bill increases federal spending to provide compensation and infrastructure.
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?-2
The bill authorizes up to $1 billion in payments from the Judgment Fund.
Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?-2
The bill creates a significant new financial obligation for the federal government.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Monetary Compensation for Illness: Individuals who resided on Vieques for at least 5 years and contracted specific diseases (cancer, hypertension, cirrhosis, kidney disease, diabetes, or heavy metal poisoning) can receive awards ranging from $50,000 to $110,000 (Section 3(a) and (b)(1)).
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Support for Heirs: Immediate heirs of deceased claimants can receive compensation based on the age of the deceased, with awards up to $110,000 (Section 3(b)(3)).
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Improved Healthcare Infrastructure: The bill provides for the construction and operation of a level three trauma center with a cancer center and renal dialysis unit to treat life-threatening and chronic diseases on the island (Section 3(d)(1)(A)).
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Direct Medical Assistance: The Special Master will fund operations for pediatric and adult care, including transportation and medical costs for those needing off-island care (Section 3(d)(1)(B)).
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Immediate Health Services: Until the new facility is ready, the bill provides urgent health care air transport, telemedicine, and case managers to claimants (Section 3(d)(1)(C)).
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Free Health Screenings: Medical screening for cancer, cirrhosis, diabetes, and heavy metal contamination will be available at no cost to the patient (Section 3(d)(1)(D)).
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Environmental Cleanup: An academic partner will be appointed to study and implement ways to reduce environmental toxins in the soil, seas, and food sources (Section 3(d)(1)(E)).
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Infrastructure Reliability: The bill authorizes the construction of an independent, hurricane-resilient power source for the island (Section 3(d)(1)(H)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Strict Eligibility Requirements: To receive compensation, individuals must have lived on the island for at least 5 years and provide medical documentation proving it is "more likely than not" that the military activity caused their specific illness (Section 3(a)).
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Limited Disease List: Compensation is only available for a specific list of illnesses (cancer, hypertension, cirrhosis, kidney disease, diabetes, or heavy metal poisoning), excluding other unnamed or uncategorized illnesses mentioned in the findings (Section 3(a)(3)).
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Loss of Future Legal Rights: Accepting a payment is considered a "complete release" of all claims against the United States and its employees, meaning individuals cannot sue for further damages later (Section 3(f)).
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Capped Funding: All awards and projects under the Act are limited to a total of $1,000,000,000, which may limit the amount available if there are many claimants (Section 3(d)(2)(B)).
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Attorney Fee Caps: Representatives of individuals are limited to receiving no more than 20 percent of a payment for their services (Section 3(i)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Hispanic Americans+8Good For Low Income Households+8Good For Rural Residents+8Good For Middle Class Households+6Good For People With Disabilities+6Good For Retirees+6Good For Seniors+6Good For Children+5Good For Middle Aged+5Good For Young Adults+5Good For Farmers+3Good For Business Owners+2
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+9Reduces Hospital Costs+7Increases Research Funding+6Improves Mental Health Access+5
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+7Improves Rural Development+6Improves Disaster Relief And F E M A+4Increases Renewable Energy Investment+3
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+5Improves Internet Access+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+6
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Economic Growth+3Increases Job Creation+2Reduces Government Spending-5Improves Fiscal Responsibility-2Reduces National Debt-2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Due Process+2
- 5/7/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York