FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  S.1047: DIC Improvement Act of 2019

April 5, 2019

Tester Fights for Stronger Benefits for Montana’s 1,000 Gold Star Family Members

Senator recognizes Gold Star Wives Day with bill to bolster support for survivors of those killed in line of duty

(U.S. Senate) – On Gold Star Wives Day, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is introducing legislation to better support spouses and children who have lost a loved one in service to this country.

More than 1,000 Montana family members of service members who died in the line of duty, and of disabled veterans who died from a service-connected condition receive a monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Benefit from the VA. Tester’s Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Improvement Act will give these family members an additional benefit amount. Doing so would make it fairer by bringing benefits for surviving military families more in line with federal employee and Department of Defense survivor benefits. 

“Families who are grieving the loss of a parent who served this country should never face financial uncertainty,” said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “These brave men and women have paid the ultimate sacrifice and it’s our duty to give their loved ones more economic security.”

Tester’s bill also ensures survivors aren’t penalized for receiving these benefits by preventing an unfair offset that denies them the compensation to which they are entitled. Nearly 200 Montanans currently face this offset.

Veterans and Gold Star families support Tester’s bill. 

“I am grateful and very thankful that the Senate is willing to bring attention to those surviving spouses that have fallen far behind other federal programs and therefore have not gotten the full benefit of the ultimate sacrifice that our service members made," said Crystal Wenum, National President of the Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. “We think this is an issue that spans partisan politics and brings well deserved parity with other federal programs.  It is the right thing to do and I thank Senator Tester and the Co-Sponsors that have brought this attention to the DIC issue."

“We applaud Senator Tester for reintroducing the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Improvement Act in the 116th Congress,” said DAV National Commander Dennis Nixon. “DAV strongly recommends this legislation that provides greater support to deserving survivors of disabled veterans. A veteran’s lifelong disability or service-related death can result in undue economic hardship on their spouse and children; this legislation increases financial support for them after the passing of their loved one. We’re grateful Senator Tester has continuously advocated for not just service-connected disabled veterans, but for their families as well.”Tester’s bill can be read online HERE. 

Reps. Waltz, Moulton, Bacon Introduce Legislation to Enhance Benefits For Gold Star Families and Military Survivors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, March 28, 2019

Contact:Joanna Rodriguez 202-225-2706

 Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Representative Michael Waltz (FL-R), a combat veteran and member of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation with Representatives Seth Moulton (MA-D) and Don Bacon (NE-R) that would increase the benefits for Gold Star families.

H.R.1911, or “The SFC Brian Woods Gold Star and Military Survivors Act,” is named in honor of Army Sgt. 1st Class William B. Woods Jr. who served with Waltz as an Army Green Beret and was killed on August 16, 2009 in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

The bill would:

• Allow survivors that re-married to continue to have access to on-base facilities if they have dependent children;
• Allow surviving spouses of servicemembers who were killed while on duty to continue to receive DIC or SBP should they re-marry and ensures survivors that re-married before the bill becomes law are eligible to collect benefits moving forward;
• Direct the Pentagon to pay the transportation costs of remains for those killed in combat back to their hometown for any memorial services AND to a national cemetery of the surviving family’s choice (current law only authorizes one trip); and
• Authorize the Pentagon to extend the existing child care service assistance program (for civilian providers) to survivors of servicemembers that die in the line of duty.

“The knock on the door that initiates a family into the Gold Star community is the most dreaded moment in a military family’s life,” Waltz said. “From that moment forward, these families deserve our best and most meaningful commitment in honor of their loved one’s sacrifice for our freedom and security. This bill would ensure the Gold Star families of our fallen are cared for by giving their children and spouses the lifelong benefits they deserve and transportation costs for a burial and memorial worthy of their sacrifice.”

“When Gold Star spouses are handed a folded flag, it comes with a sacred commitment from the American people. That commitment is for life,” said Moulton. “That means Gold Star families should have the peace of mind that comes with knowing child care and funeral expenses are taken care of and that they will receive the nation’s lifelong financial support.”

“Our Gold Star and surviving family members deserve a commitment for life,” Bacon said. “The SFC Brian Woods Gold Star and Military Survivors Act keeps faith with the spouses and families of the fallen. Since becoming a Member of Congress I have committed myself to this cause. This legislation builds on the important progress we made last year and I am proud to co-sponsor this important next step with fellow veteran Representative Waltz.”  

A PDF of the bill is available here.

GSW National President Crystal Wenum testified at the Joint Hearing of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees along with multiple Veterans Service Organizations (NASDVA, FRA, GSW, BVA,JWV, MORH, MOAA). 

You can watch the recorded hearing at the link HERE.

Additional testimony materials will be added shortly. 

Senator Doug Jones from Alabama has written an article published in the New American Journal as well as The Wetumpka Herald arguing to end the Military Widows Tax and references support of the bill from Gold Star Wives and also mentions "In fact, several Gold Star Wives visited me in the Senate this past week to show their support for this bill in person." 

As you can see, calls and visits to your elected officials can help make positive gains. 

You can view the entire article at Wetumpka Herald or New American Journal. 

Current Legislation 116th Congress

116^th (2019-2020) Congressional Legislation of Interest to GSW

Dependent Indemnity Compensation (DIC):

DIC has only been increased by Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) since 1993. GSW is looking for a primary sponsor and passage of a bill to increase DIC to the 55% level; this would make DIC equitable with other Federal employee survivor benefit plans.  The GRC of GSW is currently working with Senator Tester’s office to introduce a “stand alone” bill to correct this inequity.

 Even a “Sunset Provision” would be favorable. This would mean a gradual increase over a period of time. For example: a 3% increase every year for 10 years. The monthly DIC is payable to surviving spouses by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Survivor Benefit Pension/DIC Offset (SBP/DIC):

H.R. 553:  Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act was introduced in the House by Representative Joe Wilson (D-SC) and S.622: as introduced in the Senate by Senator Doug Jones (R-AL). Both bills are: “To amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans’ dependency and indemnity compensation.” S.622 is a companion bill for H.R. 553. GSW supports their passage.

Change in GSW’s Federal Charter:

US code: Title 36>Subtitle II>Part B Section 80507, Restrictions: b) Political Activities: The corporation, or director or officer as such may not contribute in any political activity or in any manner attempt to influence legislation. GSW wishes to eliminate the last few words of Section80507 (b) “in any manner attempt to influence legislation.” GSW is currently looking for a House and Senate sponsor.

Education:

Public Law No: 115-48 (08/16/2017)

Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017

This bill revises education and related benefits provided to veterans, service members, dependents, and survivors.

The bill amends the Post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance program to:

• remove certain time restrictions on program use;
• increase assistance for reservists, guardsmen, dependents, and surviving spouses and dependents;
• provide full eligibility for Post-9/11 Purple Heart recipients and certain reservists and guardsmen;
• provide an extra academic years' worth of benefits for STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) degree candidates;
• establish a five-year pilot program for high technology courses;
• restore eligibility for service members whose school closes in the middle of a semester;
• authorize funding to improve claims processing;
• permit assistance to be used at certain institutions that are not institutions of higher education; and
• pro-rate the housing stipend for reservists called to active duty.

The bill authorizes the Edith Nurse Rogers STEM Scholarship to help veterans complete STEM degrees.

The Yellow Ribbon program is extended to Fry Scholarship recipients (surviving dependents of service members who died on active duty) and certain Purple Heart recipients. (The Yellow Ribbon program helps veterans pay for higher education tuition and fee costs not covered by the Post-9/11 program.)

The bill: (1) extends the Advisory Committee on Education, (2) increases survivors' and dependents' educational assistance, and (3) extends funding for state educational program approving agencies.

The bill provides statutory authority for the VetSuccess on Campus program, which provides veterans with on-campus educational and vocational counseling.

The Department of Veterans Affairs shall make a new determination regarding each denied veteran's claim for disability compensation in connection with full-body exposure to mustard gas or Lewisite at specified locations during World War II and resolve reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran.

Gold Star Wives will be delivering testimony before a Joint Hearing of the Senate and the House Veteran’s Affairs Committee. The hearing will take place at:

10:00 am
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Room SD-G50
Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC

GSW National President Crystal Wenum will be delivering the testimony. We will update the web site with the testimony afterwards.

Hello from your Nation’s Capital! I wanted to begin this update with a huge thank you to all of you that contacted your Members of Congress and encouraged them to work and support legislation that supports surviving military spouses and their families. For the first time in many years, we were able to get a bill introduced in the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives that addressed the inequality when it comes to DIC (Dependency and Indemnity Compensation). We also had a bill introduced in both the House and the Senate that addressed and fixed the SBP-DIC issue. Ultimately, these bills did not pass and will need to be re-introduced in this new session of Congress, the 116th.

I have spoken with staff members and I look forward to hopefully getting these bills reintroduced and continue the work of gathering support. As soon as these bills are introduced, I will be sure to let you all know. I will also continue to work on getting the Congressional charter amended that would allow our leadership to testify freely on behalf of the issues important to all of us.

As many of you know, I have had the opportunity to work and live in Washington DC for over 15 years including working on the Hill for the new Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith. I look forward to continue connecting with friends and colleagues that are returning to the Hill and will continue to push for our issues there. It is important for everyone to continue to reach out to your Members of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor and push for the legislative issues that are important to us.

Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to continuing my work as your advocate in Washington DC.

Lars Anderson

"With the possibility of a future government shutdown looming, Congressman-elect Mark Green said he finds it "unconscionable" that within a few days of that happening, Gold Star wives and husbands could lose benefits, and his first bill after taking office in January will be aimed at stopping that." 

Read full article in The Leaf Chronicle here.

Bill to extend Agent Orange benefits to U.S. Navy Vietnam vets dies in U.S. Senate - read latest news on this item here.  There is also a discussion on this topic at the Friends of Gold Star Wives Facebook group.

115 Congressional Legislation of Interest to GSW

Dependent Indemnity Compensation (DIC):

DIC has only been increased by Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) since 1993. GSW is looking for a primary sponsor and passage of a bill to increase DIC to the 55% level; this would make DIC equitable with other Federal employee survivor benefit plans. Even a “Sunset Provision” would be favorable. This would mean a gradual increase over a period of time. For example: a 3% increase every year for 10 years. The monthly DIC is payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Survivor Benefit Pension/DIC Offset (SBP/DIC):

H.R. 846: The Military Widow’s Tax Elimination 2017 was introduced in the House by Representative Joe Wilson and S.339: The Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act of 2017 was introduced in the Senate by Senator Bill Nelson. Both bills are: “To amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans’ dependency and indemnity compensation.” S.339 is a companion bill for H.R. 846. GSW supports their passage.

Change in GSW’s Federal Charter:

US code: Title 36>Subtitle II>Part B Section 80507, Restrictions: b) Political Activities: The corporation, or director or officer as such may not contribute in any political activity or in any manner attempt to influence legislation. GSW wishes to eliminate the last few words of Section80507 (b) “in any manner attempt to influence legislation.” GSW is currently looking for a House and Senate sponsor.

Education:

H.R. 2103: Julian Woods Yellow Ribbon Program Expansion Act was introduced in the House by Representative John Rutherford and S.798: Yellow Ribbon Improvement Act of 2017 was introduced in the Senate by Senator Bill Cassidy. Both bills are: “To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program to apply to individuals pursuing programs of education while on active duty, to recipients of the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry scholarship, and to programs of education pursued on half-time basis or less, and for other purposes.” GSW supports passage of these bills.

Healthcare:

H.R.92: CHAMPAVA Children’s Protection Act of 2017 was introduced in the House by Representative Julia Brownley and S. 423: CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act of 2017 was introduced in the Senate by Senator Jon Tester. “These bills increase from 23 to 26 the maximum age of eligibility for certain dependent children of veterans for medical care under CHAMPVA (the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs).” GSW supports passage of these bills.

Other Current bills GSW supports:

S.120: Bring Our Heroes Home Act of 2017 was introduced in the House by Representative Dean Heller. “This bill will provide a review board at the National Archives with the authority to declassify unnecessarily classified records that may provide new information on the whereabouts of POW/MIAs.” GSW supports passage of this bill.

H.R. 544: Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act was introduced in the House by Representative Paul Cook. “This bill will regulate the purchase, production, sale or exchange of military medals or decorations and not authorize the sale of a Purple Heart awarded to a member of the Armed Services.” GSW supports the passage of this bill.

H.R.1328: American Heroes COLA Act of 2017 was introduced in the House by Representative Mike Bost. “This bill requires that whenever there is an increase in benefit amounts payable under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs shall increase by the same percentage the amounts payable as veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.” GSW supports passage of this bill.

H.R.991: Guaranteed 3 Percent COLA for Seniors Act of 2017 was introduced in the House by Representative Eliot Engel. “This bill requires the establishment of a Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers to compute cost-of-living increases for Social Security benefits under title II of the Social Security Act and to provide, in the case of elderly beneficiaries under such title, for an annual cost-of-living increase which is not less than 3 percent.” GSW supports passage of this bill.