Capt Hank
01-13-2005, 18:19
** Senator Sessions Moves to Improve Survivor Benefits
In a speech in Alabama on Tuesday, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) announced plans to introduce legislation that would greatly improve military survivor benefits. Sen. Sessions plans to introduce a bill on Jan 24 that would raise the maximum Servicemen's Group Life Insurance (SGLI) benefit to $400,000 from $250,000. Under his plan, the government would pay for the first $150,000 of coverage when the member enters a combat zone. The bill also would raise the death gratuity from $12,420 to $100,000 for members killed in combat, and the increase would be made retroactive to cover members killed while deployed to operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
MOAA appreciates Sen. Sessions' lead on efforts to do more for the families of military members killed on active duty in the war on terror. We strongly supported his successful effort last year to include language in the FY2005 Defense Authorization Act directing DoD to submit legislation for improved death benefits for FY2006.
MOAA strongly supports Sen. Sessions' new proposals, which are similar to initiatives MOAA espoused last year in Today's Officer magazine. (See http://www.moaa.org/TodaysOfficer/LegislativeFront/Calculating.asp).
We also hope to persuade Congress to take additional steps, including:
Providing the first $100,000 in SGLI cost-free to all servicemembers who die in the line of duty. Most private sector companies provide employees some level of free life insurance (e.g., two times annual salary capped at some six-figure level). We think servicemembers (including those who die in service-connected situations other than combat) deserve no less.
We also are concerned that the monthly annuity provided to survivors of people who die on active duty (only about $1,000 a month for most enlisted members) is nowhere close to those provided survivors of police and firefighters who die in the line of duty. MOAA and The Military Coalition are working with Sen. Bill Nelson (R-FL), Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ), Rep. Henry Brown (R-SC), and Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ) on additional legislation that would increase monthly annuities for survivors of members who die of service-connected causes.
In a speech in Alabama on Tuesday, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) announced plans to introduce legislation that would greatly improve military survivor benefits. Sen. Sessions plans to introduce a bill on Jan 24 that would raise the maximum Servicemen's Group Life Insurance (SGLI) benefit to $400,000 from $250,000. Under his plan, the government would pay for the first $150,000 of coverage when the member enters a combat zone. The bill also would raise the death gratuity from $12,420 to $100,000 for members killed in combat, and the increase would be made retroactive to cover members killed while deployed to operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
MOAA appreciates Sen. Sessions' lead on efforts to do more for the families of military members killed on active duty in the war on terror. We strongly supported his successful effort last year to include language in the FY2005 Defense Authorization Act directing DoD to submit legislation for improved death benefits for FY2006.
MOAA strongly supports Sen. Sessions' new proposals, which are similar to initiatives MOAA espoused last year in Today's Officer magazine. (See http://www.moaa.org/TodaysOfficer/LegislativeFront/Calculating.asp).
We also hope to persuade Congress to take additional steps, including:
Providing the first $100,000 in SGLI cost-free to all servicemembers who die in the line of duty. Most private sector companies provide employees some level of free life insurance (e.g., two times annual salary capped at some six-figure level). We think servicemembers (including those who die in service-connected situations other than combat) deserve no less.
We also are concerned that the monthly annuity provided to survivors of people who die on active duty (only about $1,000 a month for most enlisted members) is nowhere close to those provided survivors of police and firefighters who die in the line of duty. MOAA and The Military Coalition are working with Sen. Bill Nelson (R-FL), Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ), Rep. Henry Brown (R-SC), and Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ) on additional legislation that would increase monthly annuities for survivors of members who die of service-connected causes.