[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 144 (Tuesday, September 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5284-H5285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       FAIRNESS FOR SERVICEMEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES ACT OF 2024

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2911) to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to periodically review the automatic 
maximum coverage under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program 
and the Veterans' Group Life Insurance program, and for other purposes, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2911

       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 ``Fairness for Servicemembers 
     and their Families Act of 2024''.

     SEC. 2. PERIODIC REVIEW OF AUTOMATIC MAXIMUM COVERAGE UNDER 
                   SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE AND 
                   VETERANS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE.

       (a) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 19 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 1980B. Periodic review of automatic maximum coverage

       ``(a) In General.--On January 1, 2025, and every five years 
     thereafter, the Secretary shall--
       ``(1) complete a review of how the amount specified in 
     section 1967(a)(3)(A)(i) compares to the amount described in 
     subsection (b); and
       ``(2) submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
     House of Representatives and the Senate the results of the 
     review.
       ``(b) Amount Described.--The amount described in this 
     subsection is the amount equal to--
       ``(1) $500,000; multiplied by
       ``(2) the average percentage by which the Consumer Price 
     Index changed during the five fiscal years preceding the 
     review under subsection (a).
       ``(c) Consumer Price Index Defined.--In this section, the 
     term `Consumer Price Index' means the Consumer Price Index 
     for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor 
     Statistics of the Department of Labor.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of chapter 19 of such title is amended by inserting 
     after the item relating to section 1980A the following new 
     item:

``1980B. Periodic review of automatic maximum coverage.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
H.R. 2911, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2911, as amended. This 
bill was introduced by Representative Strickland and co-led by our 
colleagues, Representative Bacon and Representative Turner.
  H.R. 2911, as amended, would require VA to regularly review and 
compare the maximum coverage under the VA life insurance programs with 
average cost-of-living changes across the country.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 2911, the Fairness 
for Servicemembers and their Families Act of 2024, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, last Congress, we passed S. 2794 into law. This bill 
increased the maximum coverage amount under the Servicemembers' Group 
Life Insurance, or SGLI, program and the Veterans' Group Life 
Insurance, or VGLI, program from $400,000 to $500,000.
  Prior to that legislation, however, those maximum coverage amounts 
had not increased since 2005, clearly failing to keep pace with 
inflation.
  To ensure that we are not waiting another decade or more to improve 
this benefit for our servicemembers and veterans, my good friend, 
Representative Marilyn Strickland, has introduced this bill, which 
requires VA to periodically review coverage amounts every 5 years and 
to report to Congress what the level of benefits would be if adjusted 
for inflation over that period.
  This will allow Congress to regularly make a more informed decision 
about whether or not these maximum coverage amounts should be 
increased.
  Mr. Speaker, this is commonsense legislation that allows Congress to 
better do our part to support servicemembers, veterans, and their 
families, and I encourage my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Washington (Ms. Strickland), my good friend who is the author of H.R. 
2911. She serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Transportation 
and Infrastructure Committee.
  Ms. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Takano for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 2911, the 
Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act of 2024.
  I first thank Chairmen Bost and Luttrell and Ranking Members Takano 
and Pappas for working with me to get this bill to the floor. I also 
thank my partners in this effort, Congressman   Don Bacon and Senator 
John Cornyn.
  The Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act would help 
ensure that life insurance benefits for servicemembers and veterans 
account for changes in the economy. This legislation would require the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to periodically review and report on the 
maximum coverage available under the Servicemembers' Group Life 
Insurance and Veterans' Group Life Insurance. Accurate and reliable 
data will allow the VA to make necessary policy adjustments to ensure 
accurate payments.
  I have the honor of representing Joint Base Lewis-McChord and tens of 
thousands of servicemembers and their families who call the South Sound 
home. Our servicemembers courageously put their lives on the line for 
their country, and it is our duty to reciprocate and help them. This 
means ensuring the well-being of their families and loved ones in the 
event of a tragedy.
  Servicemembers' life insurance plans must keep pace with economic 
demands. A robust life insurance policy can provide a grieving family 
with the security they need to navigate the loss of their loved ones 
with dignity.
  The brave men and women who sacrifice their lives deserve peace of 
mind, knowing that their families will be taken care of.
  For nearly two decades, the maximum coverage of the Servicemembers' 
Group Life Insurance and Veterans' Group Life Insurance programs have 
been stagnant, even as the cost of housing, goods, and services rose, 
as they typically do over time.
  This bill would ensure that these programs are reviewed periodically 
to verify that their value sufficiently reflects the contemporary 
Consumer Price Index.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their unwavering commitment to 
supporting veterans and their families and for prioritizing their care.
  Finally, I will take a point of privilege to thank my Army fellow who 
worked in my office last year, Major Felix Gumbiner, for bringing this 
issue to my attention and for working with the offices of Congressman 
Bacon and Senator Cornyn to develop this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the House passing the Fairness for 
Servicemembers and their Families Act of 2024 and for it to become the 
law of the land.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 2911, the Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families 
Act of 2024, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H5285]]

  

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support 
this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1815

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2911, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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