[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 133 (Friday, August 1, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S5223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3427. Ms. ERNST submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
her to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2026 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 subtitle C of title VI, add the following:

     SEC. 629. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY ON CASUALTY 
                   ASSISTANCE AND LONG-TERM CARE PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than January 1, 2027, the 
     Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a 
     study on the structure and execution of the casualty 
     assistance and long-term care programs of the Armed Forces.
       (b) Elements.--In conducting the study required by 
     subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall assess 
     options--
       (1) to improve the standardization of the selection and 
     management of casualty assistance officers across the Armed 
     Forces, including standardized tour lengths similar to 
     military recruiters;
       (2) to improve the standardization, quality, and 
     proficiency of training for casualty assistance officers 
     across the Armed Forces in requisite policies, procedures, 
     and knowledge of entitlements, benefits, and financial 
     obligations surviving families may encounter;
       (3) to develop a Defense-wide survivor contact registry 
     allowing surviving families to voluntarily provide contact 
     information to ensure periodic check-ins with surviving 
     families during significant milestones following the death of 
     a member of the Armed Forces; and
       (4) to develop an integrated Defense-wide long-term care 
     program for surviving families, modeled on the Army's 
     Survivor Outreach Services, that provides information about 
     survivor entitlements and access to expert case managers and 
     counselors.
       (c) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after 
     completing the study required by subsection (a), the 
     Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
     Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
     report that includes--
       (1) the results of the study;
       (2) recommendations relating to the options assessed under 
     subsection (b); and
       (3) a plan for implementing those recommendations.
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