[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3200 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3200
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 27, 2005
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the Servicemembers'
Group Life Insurance program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance
Enhancement Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. REPEALER.
Effective as of August 31, 2005, section 1012 of division A of the
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War
on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005 (Public Law 109-13; 119 Stat. 244),
including the amendments made by that section, are repealed, and
sections 1967, 1969, 1970, and 1977 of title 38, United States Code,
shall be applied as if that section had not been enacted.
SEC. 3. INCREASE FROM $250,000 TO $400,000 IN AUTOMATIC MAXIMUM
COVERAGE UNDER SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE AND
VETERANS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE.
(a) Maximum Under SGLI.--Section 1967 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(i), by striking ``$250,000''
and inserting ``$400,000''; and
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ``of $250,000'' and
inserting ``in effect under paragraph (3)(A)(i) of that
subsection''.
(b) Maximum Under VGLI.--Section 1977(a) of such title is amended
by striking ``$250,000'' each place it appears and inserting
``$400,000''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on September 1, 2005, and shall apply with respect to deaths
occurring on or after that date.
SEC. 4. NOTIFICATION TO MEMBER'S SPOUSE OR NEXT OF KIN OF CERTAIN
ELECTIONS UNDER SERVICEMEMBER'S GROUP LIFE INSURANCE
PROGRAM.
Effective September 1, 2005, section 1967 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(f)(1)(A) Whenever a member who is eligible for insurance under
this section executes a life insurance option specified in subparagraph
(B), the Secretary concerned shall notify the member's spouse or, if
the member is unmarried, the member's next of kin, in writing, of the
execution of that option.
``(B) A life insurance option referred to in subparagraph (A) is
any of the following:
``(i) An election under subsection (a)(2)(A) not to be
insured under this subchapter.
``(ii) An election under subsection (a)(3)(B) for insurance
of the member in an amount that is less than the maximum amount
provided under subsection (a)(3)(A)(i).
``(iii) An application under subsection (c) for insurance
coverage under this subchapter or for a change in the amount of
such insurance coverage.
``(iv) In the case of a married member, a designation under
section 1970(a) of this title of any person other than the
spouse or a child of the member as the beneficiary of the
member for any amount of insurance under this subchapter.
``(2) Whenever an unmarried member who is eligible for insurance
under this section marries, the Secretary concerned shall notify the
member's spouse in writing as to whether the member is insured under
this subchapter. In the case of a member who is so insured, the
Secretary shall include with such notification--
``(A) if the member has made an election described in
paragraph (1)(B)(ii), notice that the amount of such insurance
is less than the maximum amount provided under subsection
(a)(3)(A)(i); and
``(B) if the member has designated a beneficiary other than
the spouse or a child of the member for any amount of such
insurance, notice that such a designation has been made.
``(3)(A) Notification of a spouse under paragraph (1) or (2), or of
any other person under paragraph (1), for purposes of this subsection
shall consist of a good faith effort to provide information to the
spouse or other person at the last address of the spouse or other
person in the records of the Secretary concerned.
``(B) Failure to provide such notification, or to provide such
notification in a timely manner, does not affect the validity of any
life insurance option referred to in paragraph (1)(B).''.
SEC. 5. INCREMENTS OF INSURANCE THAT MAY BE ELECTED.
(a) Increase in Increment Amount.--Subsection (a)(3)(B) of section
1967 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``member
or spouse'' in the last sentence and inserting ``member, be evenly
divisible by $50,000 and, in the case of a member's spouse,''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on September 1, 2005.
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO ELECT NEW TRAUMATIC INJURY PROTECTION.
(a) Opt-Out Authority.--Section 1980A of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end of subsection (b) the following
new paragraph:
``(4)(A) A member may elect in writing not to be insured under this
section.
``(B) If a member eligible for insurance under this section is not
so insured by reason of an election made under subparagraph (A), the
member may thereafter elect to be insured under this section upon
written application by the member, proof of good health, and compliance
with such other terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the
Secretary. Insurance under this section upon such an election is
effective upon the date of the receipt by the Secretary of such
application and shall apply only with respect to injuries incurred
after that date.
``(C) The Secretary shall prescribe by regulation conditions as to
how and when elections under subparagraph (B) shall be made. Such
regulations may include limiting the time for such elections to an
annual open season, for a duration each year prescribed by the
Secretary.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
take effect immediately after section 1980A of title 38, United States
Code, takes effect pursuant to section 1032(d)(1) of division A of the
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War
on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005 (Public Law 109-13; 119 Stat. 260).
Passed the House of Representatives July 26, 2005.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.