[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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