[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 127 (Thursday, July 27, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S4454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 425. Mr. NELSON submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 2810, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of part II of subtitle C of title VI, add the 
     following:

     SEC. ___. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT OF REDUCTION OF SURVIVOR 
                   BENEFITS PLAN SURVIVOR ANNUITIES BY DEPENDENCY 
                   AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.

       (a) Repeal.--
       (1) In general.--Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 10, 
     United States Code, is amended as follows:
       (A) In section 1450, by striking subsection (c).
       (B) In section 1451(c)--
       (i) by striking paragraph (2); and
       (ii) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs 
     (2) and (3), respectively.
       (2) Conforming amendments.--Such subchapter is further 
     amended as follows:
       (A) In section 1450--
       (i) by striking subsection (e);
       (ii) by striking subsection (k); and
       (iii) by striking subsection (m).
       (B) In section 1451(g)(1), by striking subparagraph (C).
       (C) In section 1452--
       (i) in subsection (f)(2), by striking ``does not apply--'' 
     and all that follows and inserting ``does not apply in the 
     case of a deduction made through administrative error.''; and
       (ii) by striking subsection (g).
       (D) In section 1455(c), by striking ``, 1450(k)(2),''.
       (b) Prohibition on Retroactive Benefits.--No benefits may 
     be paid to any person for any period before the effective 
     date provided under subsection (f) by reason of the 
     amendments made by subsection (a).
       (c) Prohibition on Recoupment of Certain Amounts Previously 
     Refunded to SBP Recipients.--A surviving spouse who is or has 
     been in receipt of an annuity under the Survivor Benefit Plan 
     under subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 10, United States 
     Code, that is in effect before the effective date provided 
     under subsection (f) and that is adjusted by reason of the 
     amendments made by subsection (a) and who has received a 
     refund of retired pay under section 1450(e) of title 10, 
     United States Code, shall not be required to repay such 
     refund to the United States.
       (d) Repeal of Authority for Optional Annuity for Dependent 
     Children.--Section 1448(d) of such title is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Except as provided in 
     paragraph (2)(B), the Secretary concerned'' and inserting 
     ``The Secretary concerned''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) by striking ``Dependent children.--'' and all that 
     follows through ``In the case of a member described in 
     paragraph (1),'' and inserting ``Dependent children annuity 
     when no eligible surviving spouse.--In the case of a member 
     described in paragraph (1)''; and
       (B) by striking subparagraph (B).
       (e) Restoration of Eligibility for Previously Eligible 
     Spouses.--The Secretary of the military department concerned 
     shall restore annuity eligibility to any eligible surviving 
     spouse who, in consultation with the Secretary, previously 
     elected to transfer payment of such annuity to a surviving 
     child or children under the provisions of section 
     1448(d)(2)(B) of title 10, United States Code, as in effect 
     on the day before the effective date provided under 
     subsection (f). Such eligibility shall be restored whether or 
     not payment to such child or children subsequently was 
     terminated due to loss of dependent status or death. For the 
     purposes of this subsection, an eligible spouse includes a 
     spouse who was previously eligible for payment of such 
     annuity and is not remarried, or remarried after having 
     attained age 55, or whose second or subsequent marriage has 
     been terminated by death, divorce or annulment.
       (f) Effective Date.--This section and the amendments made 
     by this section shall take effect on the later of--
       (1) the first day of the first month that begins after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act; or
       (2) the first day of the fiscal year that begins in the 
     calendar year in which this Act is enacted.
                                 ______