Lawmakers Push Bigger Military Death Benefits (HEREOS ACT)
Some good news on the on the HEROES ACT.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republicans and Democrats said on Friday said they were ready to act quickly to boost survivor benefits for U.S. military families who lost a member on active duty.
With lawmakers pressing for better treatment for the forces serving in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites), Senate Republicans unveiled legislation to expand health care and life insurance coverage. It also raises a one-time payment to help families of service members killed in the line of duty to meet immediate expenses.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee said the plan has the Pentagon (news - web sites)’s backing. The higher payments would be retroactive to the fall of 2001, the start of the war in Afghanistan. About 1,500 U.S. forces have died in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Senate Democrats planned to announce their initiatives on Monday, said Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
“We welcome the debate,” Manley said. “It’s encouraging the Republicans are making these proposals, but the real question is whether the president is going to pay for them.”
Democrats have complained that President Bush (news - web sites) has slighted a number of veterans programs.
Bills to boost military death benefits also are circulating in the House of Representatives.
The bill pushed by Senate Republicans would raise to $100,000 from the current $12,400 the death gratuity, which is a one-time tax free payment.
Sen. George Allen (news, bio, voting record), a Virginia Republican, called the current gratuity “a miserly and paltry amount.” It is part of a benefits package that covers many burial expenses as well as annuities and education benefits for spouses and children.
The bill would provide children of deceased service members with military medical insurance at no cost until the age of 18 or 22, if they are enrolled in school. Currently after three years they keep the insurance by paying the retiree rate.
It also would raise the maximum coverage for life insurance to $300,000 from $250,000 without raising rates.
Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites) Chairman John Warner, a Virginia Republican, said he planned a broader review of military benefits. But he said this package can “be on the family table in a day or two.”
Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions (news, bio, voting record) said the increased death gratuity and life insurance coverage would cost about $460 million in the first year with the retroactive benefits.
Also Go here to check Fox New interview of U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT)
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