[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Pages 21543-21544]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SURVIVOR BENEFITS PLAN

  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, although we have accomplished 
much to be proud of in this Defense authorization bill, I am profoundly 
disappointed that once again we have failed to eliminate the SBP-DIC 
offset.
  For the last 5 years I have been talking about the unfair and painful 
offset of the Defense Department's survivors benefits plan against 
Veterans Affairs' dependency and indemnity compensation, or DIC. This 
offset mistreats the survivors of our servicemembers who die on active 
duty now and our 100 percent disabled military retirees who

[[Page 21544]]

purchased this benefit at the end of their careers. It is wrong, we 
know it, and the Senate has tried to fix it--but we have fallen short 
again.
  I have reminded the Senate of the Good Book's words, that in God's 
eyes the true measure of our faith is how we look after orphans and 
widows in their distress. And they are in distress. We are in a violent 
struggle around the world with brutal and vicious enemies. Sadly, 
Americans are lost every day.
  We must never forget that the families left behind by our courageous 
men and women in uniform bear the greatest pain. Their survivors' lives 
are forever altered; their futures left unclear. They suffer the 
enduring cost of the ultimate sacrifice, and the Nation that asked for 
that sacrifice must honor it. We are the ones who must recognize that 
the Nation has an obligation to those who give their lives for our 
country.
  This conference report does not include the Senate's provision to 
eliminate this offset. In the Senate, we included the funds necessary 
to support this change in our version of the budget resolution. 
Accordingly, the Armed Services Committee included a provision to 
eliminate the offset, thanks to our chairman, Senator John Warner. 
However, the conference could not find a way to bring this to closure. 
Our eligible survivors are again let down.
  Mr. President, I have felt honored over the years to champion this 
important change in our survivor benefits system. And, although 
disappointed, I am no less honored or resolved to continue this fight. 
I thank my many Senate colleagues who have felt as strongly as I about 
taking care of our military widows and orphans. I look forward to 
working with them again when we bring this to the Senate again in our 
next session. Our military men and women, and their survivors would 
never give up; neither will we.

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