[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 77 (Friday, June 6, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H3571-H3572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THE MILITARY SURVIVORS EQUITY ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Filner] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I think it is appropriate following the 
gentleman from Arizona's remarks on the anniversary of the Normandy 
invasion that we talk about our veterans in their current situation.
  On the first day of the 105th Congress I introduced legislation to 
terminate the confusing system that discriminates against surviving 
military spouses when they reach age 62. H.R. 165, the Military 
Survivors Equity Act, would simply eliminate the callous and absurd 
reduction in benefits that now

[[Page H3572]]

burdens our military widows. Instead, they would get what they and 
their deceased spouses thought they would get: fifty-five percent of 
retired military pay. To put it simply, no offset.
  When I introduced that legislation and talked to my colleagues about 
it several months ago, I received letters from all over the country 
supporting this position, widows who described for me the situations 
that they were in. Let me read, Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, several 
of the letters that I received:

       Dear Representative Filner: I hear from my friends that you 
     have presented in Congress a bill concerning our Survivor 
     Benefit Plan, SBP. Thank you very much.
       I have been a widow since November 1, 1973. My husband 
     retired from the U.S. Air Force after 20 years, 6 months and 
     4 days of active duty in 1964. He died on November 1st, 1973.
       The Social Security offset has been hard to take since my 
     income is only $1,300 a month. I am now 75 years of age and I 
     really could use the money that is rightfully mine. I have 
     raised two sons alone on this small income, and I must watch 
     every penny I spend. My sons were 14 and 11 years of age when 
     their father died. Thank you for helping me in this matter.

  Another letter from a different part of the country:

       Dear Congressman Filner: I was reading in the Army Echo 
     that you are working on a bill to repeal the SBP Social 
     Security offset that occurs at age 62. I just want to tell 
     you briefly what happened to me.
       My husband, who served in the Army for 20 years, was on 
     Social Security disability because of heart problems and 
     could no longer work. He died in July of 1995. I was then 61 
     years old. I received Social Security plus my SBP. With both 
     of these incomes, I was doing just fine, paying my monthly 
     bills and having enough left for groceries. Then a few months 
     later I turned 62 and was notified that my SBP was reduced 
     from $476 to $302. What a shock. That meant I had $174 a 
     month less. I knew right then I could not make it. This was 
     my grocery money they took away from me.
       I really don't know what they thought when they made this 
     law. I just hope and pray that some day our people in 
     Congress could look that law over again and make a change. I 
     just want to say it is a shame and disgrace the way we get 
     treated. After all, our husbands worked hard for their 
     country and don't deserve this kind of treatment.

  Another letter:

       Dear Congressman Filner: Of all the literature on Social 
     Security offset, there is no mention of 35 percent of 
     retirement pay ever made. My husband thought I would be 
     getting at least half of his retired pay, should he pass away 
     before I did. He believed that he had conscientiously and 
     diligently provided insurance for me. I belief it will take 
     about 10 years just to recoup the monies he paid into the 
     fund, if I should live that long, and with the current offset 
     it could take even longer.
       My husband paid into Social Security and into the Survivor 
     Benefit Plan. These two funds should be separate and treated 
     as such.
       I know that surviving spouses are financially suffering. I 
     believe it to be a slap in the face to the deceased service 
     members who gave so much in the service of their country. It 
     was also a slap in the face to the surviving spouse, who more 
     often than not served the same amount of years as his or her 
     spouse.
       Imagine this scenario: November 1, you received a total of 
     $882 in the form of a retirement check from the U.S. 
     Government. December 1, your spouse passed away. January 1, 
     you receive a check in the amount of $295. This decrease 
     negatively affects the quality of life of the surviving 
     spouse.
       I hope and pray that you and Members of Congress will try 
     to put themselves in the shoes of that widow or widower who 
     is always trying to make ends meet with less.

  Just lastly today, Mr. Speaker, another letter from outside my 
district, as I tried to present this bill to the Nation:

       I realize I forfeited my pension to be with my husband. We 
     married to be together, not in separate States or countries. 
     We felt the military took care of its own. We paid for 
     several years for a pension which will now be cut when I 
     reach age 62. I really do feel this is unfair.

  Mr. Speaker, I hope that this Congress will look at H.R. 165, the 
Military Survivors Equity Act, and finally provide some equity to the 
surviving spouses of our veterans who we remember today on the 
anniversary of the Normandy invasion.

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