Bill To Enhance Military Death Benefits

Senator Sessions Introduces Bill To Enhance Military Death Benefits HEROES Act of 2005 FULL TEXT

WASHINGTON — Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) today introduced legislation that would greatly expand death benefits for America’s military personnel and their families.

Sessions’ bill, which he co-sponsored with Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), would raise the death gratuity to $100,000 from $12,420 for military personnel killed in combat. The death gratuity would be retroactive to cover those killed while deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Sessions’ bill, called the HEROES Act of 2005 (Honoring Every Requirement Of Exemplary Service), would increase the Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI) maximum benefit to $400,000 from $250,000. Under the proposal, the military would provide $150,000 of insurance for service members serving in a combat zone and electing coverage under SGLI. A second provision would require the service member to discuss opting out with a spouse or other beneficiary as is done with the Survivor Benefit Program.

The bill would index the death gratuity to the rate of annual pay raises and index the life insurance benefit to the annual pay raise. The Defense Department estimated the cost of Sessions’ bill at about $460 million the first year, though that figure would be expected to drop in future years by more than half once retroactive benefits are paid.

Sessions, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Airland Subcommittee, last year got a provision included in the Fiscal Year 2005 defense authorization bill directing the Defense Department to study the death benefits issue and offer a plan for enhanced benefits in President Bush’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2006. Bush will submit his budget to Congress early next month.

Press Release of Senator Sessions Contact: Monday, January 24, 2005