Capt Hank
01-28-2005, 16:20
** More Bills of Interest
With the start of the 109th Congress a number of bills in addition to those highlighted above have already been introduced in the House and Senate. Here is a summary of selected bills of interest to MOAA members:
S. 11 (Sen. Levin, D-MI) is an omnibus bill that would increase Army and Marine Corps strengths, provide tax credits to employers of mobilized Guard/Reserve members, increase the military death gratuity to $100,000, eliminate the DIC offset to SBP, accelerate the 2008 effective date of SBP, and provide additional health coverage options to all Selected Reserve members, among other provisions.
S. 77 (Sen. Sessions, R-AL) would increase maximum military life insurance coverage from $250,000 to $400,000 (of which the first $150,000 would be premium-free for members serving in combat zones) and raise the military death gratuity to $100,000 for servicemembers killed in combat.
S. 42 (Sen. Allen, R-VA) and S. 44 (Sen. Hagel, R-NE) would both raise the death gratuity to $100,000 for members killed on active duty since 9/11.
S. 43 (Sen. Hagel, R-NE) would end the $1200 enrollment fee for the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), refund the fee to MGIB-participating members on active duty, and offer an new enrollment opportunity to all non-participating active duty members.
S. 121 (Sen. DeWine, R-OH) would increase the death gratuity to $100,000 for the surviving spouse plus $25,000 for each surviving child, authorize free TRICARE Prime eligibility for surviving children, double the education benefit for surviving children, and increase DIC to $1500 per month for an eligible surviving spouse plus $750 per month for each surviving child.
HR 303 (Rep. Bilirakis, R-FL) would eliminate the disability offset to military retired pay effective January 1, 2006 for all members with a service-connected disability who had sufficient service to retired independent of any disability.
H.R. 333 (Rep. Lynch, D-MA) would protect education status and financial interests of servicemembers called to active duty while enrolled in college courses.
H.R. 377 (Rep. Everett, R-AL) is the House companion bill to Sen. Sessions’ S. 77.
You can track cosponsorship, current status, and other information on selected bills of interest on MOAA's Web site at: http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/. By simply entering your ZIP code, you can send your legislators MOAA-suggested messages urging their support.
With the start of the 109th Congress a number of bills in addition to those highlighted above have already been introduced in the House and Senate. Here is a summary of selected bills of interest to MOAA members:
S. 11 (Sen. Levin, D-MI) is an omnibus bill that would increase Army and Marine Corps strengths, provide tax credits to employers of mobilized Guard/Reserve members, increase the military death gratuity to $100,000, eliminate the DIC offset to SBP, accelerate the 2008 effective date of SBP, and provide additional health coverage options to all Selected Reserve members, among other provisions.
S. 77 (Sen. Sessions, R-AL) would increase maximum military life insurance coverage from $250,000 to $400,000 (of which the first $150,000 would be premium-free for members serving in combat zones) and raise the military death gratuity to $100,000 for servicemembers killed in combat.
S. 42 (Sen. Allen, R-VA) and S. 44 (Sen. Hagel, R-NE) would both raise the death gratuity to $100,000 for members killed on active duty since 9/11.
S. 43 (Sen. Hagel, R-NE) would end the $1200 enrollment fee for the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), refund the fee to MGIB-participating members on active duty, and offer an new enrollment opportunity to all non-participating active duty members.
S. 121 (Sen. DeWine, R-OH) would increase the death gratuity to $100,000 for the surviving spouse plus $25,000 for each surviving child, authorize free TRICARE Prime eligibility for surviving children, double the education benefit for surviving children, and increase DIC to $1500 per month for an eligible surviving spouse plus $750 per month for each surviving child.
HR 303 (Rep. Bilirakis, R-FL) would eliminate the disability offset to military retired pay effective January 1, 2006 for all members with a service-connected disability who had sufficient service to retired independent of any disability.
H.R. 333 (Rep. Lynch, D-MA) would protect education status and financial interests of servicemembers called to active duty while enrolled in college courses.
H.R. 377 (Rep. Everett, R-AL) is the House companion bill to Sen. Sessions’ S. 77.
You can track cosponsorship, current status, and other information on selected bills of interest on MOAA's Web site at: http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/. By simply entering your ZIP code, you can send your legislators MOAA-suggested messages urging their support.