[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL SURVIVORS DAY, 
                             JUNE 28, 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 28, 2006

  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss the 
roundtable discussion held today that brought together representatives 
of Veterans' Widows International Network, Gold Star Wives, National 
Association of Uniformed Services, Military Officers Association of 
America, Vietnam Veterans of America and other veteran survivor 
organizations.
  I made this statement to them today:
  I want to thank Edmee Hills, Ron Armstead and the entire VWIN for 
organizing this 2nd Annual Conference on widow, survivors and family 
members.
  I believe that June 28 should be made into a National Day of 
Recognition. for all Veterans Survivors.
  As you say in your proposed proclamation--since the days more than 
200 years ago, servicemen's spouses have followed their husbands from 
place to place within the United States as well as overseas. These 
women, who during their husbands' active duty career, unselfishly made 
great sacrifices to insure the support and welfare of our armed forces 
on the local and national levels.
  These women, and today, the men who are here on the homefront, are 
the mental lifeline today's soldiers need to stay grounded in an insane 
situation: WAR.
  Gone are the days, or they should be, when a soldier's usefulness 
ended when his service ended. The families are great resources and 
should be treated as such.
  I am a cosponsor of two bills regarding the Survivors Benefit Plan.
  H.R. 808, the Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act, which repeals 
provisions to require the offset of amounts paid in dependency and 
indemnity compensation from Survivor Benefit Plan annuities for the 
surviving spouses of former military personnel who are entitled to 
military pay or retired pay.
  H.R. 968, to change the effective date for paid-up coverage under the 
military Survivor Benefit Plan from October 1, 2008. It should be 
covered now. Survivors should not have to deal with the bureaucracy and 
their grief.
  In addition, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1573, a bill to provide that 
the increase of $250 per month in the rate of monthly dependency and 
indemnity compensation (DIC) payable to a surviving spouse of a member 
of the Armed Forces who dies on active duty or as a result of a 
service-connected disability shall be paid for so long as there are 
minor children, rather than only for two years.
  I am glad you are all here to discuss the many issues of concern to 
survivors and I am willing to listen to your suggestions.
  In addition, I would like to acknowledge the participants in this 
year's roundtable discussion:
  Ron Armstead, Anthony Hawkins, Edmee Hills, Sharon Hayes, Kathleen 
Moakley, Deerdre Parke Hollowman, Joyce Karas, Eva Golleher, Dorothy 
Eng, Rose Lee, Marianne Nugent, Patricia Sharp, Regina Matson, Etta 
McAfee, Eunice Luke, Patricia Kreigel, Cynthia Dawkins, Leslie Tjarks, 
Elsie Ryan and Suzanne Melin.

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