[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 498. Mr. BRAUN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2024 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 appropriate place in title VI, insert the following:

     SEC. 6__. REPORT ON EFFECT OF PHASE-OUT OF REDUCTION OF 
                   SURVIVOR BENEFIT PLAN SURVIVOR ANNUITIES BY 
                   AMOUNT OF DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY 
                   COMPENSATION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
     Congress a report on the effect of section 622 of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 
     (Public Law 116-92) and the amendments made by such section.
       (b) Contents.--The report submitted pursuant to subsection 
     (a) shall include the following:
       (1) An assessment on the effect that section 622 of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 
     (Public Law 116-92) and the amendments made by such section 
     had on beneficiaries and any unintended consequences that 
     were a result of such section or amendments.
       (2) An evaluation of the authority that the Secretary has 
     in a situation when the Defense Finance Accounting Service 
     cannot verify the eligibility of a spouse and payments are 
     paused for the child.
       (3) Recommendations for legislative action to ensure the 
     Secretary has the flexibility to make payments under 
     subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 10, United States Code, 
     to dependent children that are under the guardianship of 
     someone other than the surviving spouse.
       (4) An assessment of the process of the Department for 
     determining eligibility for survivor benefits under 
     subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 10, United States Code, 
     and dependency and indemnity compensation under chapter 13 of 
     title 38, United States Code, and the coordination between 
     the Defense Finance Accounting Service and the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs for such benefits.
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