[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15498-15503]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SURVIVOR BENEFITS CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS 
                            RESOLUTION, 2014

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 91) making continuing appropriations 
for death gratuities and related survivor benefits for survivors of 
deceased military servicemembers of the Department of Defense for 
fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
  The text of the joint resolution is as follows:

                              H.J. Res. 91

       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money in 
     the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for death gratuities 
     and related benefits for survivors of deceased military 
     service members of the Department of Defense for fiscal year 
     2014, and for other purposes, namely:
       Sec. 101. (a) Such amounts as may be necessary, at a rate 
     for operations as provided for fiscal year 2013 in the 
     Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2013 (division C of 
     Public Law 113-6) and under the authority and conditions 
     provided in such Act, for ``Operation and Maintenance'' and 
     ``Military Personnel'' accounts for continuing the following 
     projects and activities that are not otherwise specifically 
     provided for in this joint resolution or the Pay Our Military 
     Act (Public Law 113-39), and for which appropriations, funds, 
     or other authority were made available by the Department of 
     Defense Appropriations Act, 2013:
       (1) The payment of a death gratuity under sections 1475-
     1477 and 1489 of title 10, United States Code.
       (2) The payment or reimbursement for funeral and burial 
     expenses authorized under sections 1481 and 1482 of title 10, 
     United States Code.
       (3) The payment or reimbursement of authorized funeral 
     travel and travel related to the dignified transfer of 
     remains and unit memorial services under section 481f of 
     title 37, United States Code.
       (4) The temporary continuation of a basic allowance of 
     housing for dependents of members dying on active duty, as 
     authorized by section 403(l) of title 37, United States Code.
       (b) The rate for operations provided by subsection (a) for 
     each program or activity shall be calculated to reflect the 
     full amount of any reduction required in fiscal year 2013 
     pursuant to--
       (1) any provision of division G of the Consolidated and 
     Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (Public Law 113-
     6), including section 3004; and
       (2) the Presidential sequestration order dated March 1, 
     2013, except as attributable to budget authority made 
     available by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 
     (Public Law 113-2).
       Sec. 102.  Appropriations made by section 101 shall be 
     available to the extent and in the manner that would be 
     provided by the pertinent appropriations Act.
       Sec. 103.  Unless otherwise provided for in this joint 
     resolution or in the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal 
     year 2014, appropriations and funds made available and 
     authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution shall be 
     available until whichever of the following first occurs: (1) 
     the enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or 
     activity provided for in this joint resolution; (2) the 
     enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act for 
     fiscal year 2014 without any provision for such project or 
     activity; or (3) December 15, 2013.
       Sec. 104.  Expenditures made pursuant to this joint 
     resolution shall be charged to the applicable appropriation, 
     fund, or authorization whenever a bill in which such 
     applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization is contained 
     is enacted into law.
       Sec. 105.  This joint resolution shall be implemented so 
     that only the most limited funding action of that permitted 
     in the joint resolution shall be taken in order to provide 
     for continuation of projects and activities.
       Sec. 106.  It is the sense of Congress that this joint 
     resolution may also be referred to as the ``Honoring the 
     Families of Fallen Soldiers Act''.
        This joint resolution may be cited as the ``Department of 
     Defense Survivor Benefits Continuing Appropriations 
     Resolution, 2014''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. 
Visclosky) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.

[[Page 15499]]


  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume, and I rise in support of House Joint Resolution 91, the 
Honoring the Families of Fallen Soldiers Act.
  Our government has no greater responsibility, Mr. Speaker, than to 
take care of the families of our brave men and women who have fought 
and died for our country. This bipartisan legislation provides 
continuing appropriations to ensure that, if troops are killed serving 
our country, our government will honor its obligations to them and 
their families without delay.
  Specifically, the bill would provide for the payment of death 
gratuities and other benefits, such as military housing allowances, to 
the families of our fallen soldiers. It would provide for authorized 
funeral and burial services for servicemembers and their families.
  This measure would also pay for families to travel to meet the 
remains of their loved ones returning home. This bill provides 
appropriations to pay benefits upon the deaths of military 
servicemembers.
  My colleagues, while this bill is written as a ``continuing 
appropriations act,'' I want to be very clear. The intent of this 
legislation is to fully fund the specific benefits for all authorized 
recipients.
  Mr. Speaker, we have a solemn duty to take care of our troops and 
their families, especially as we remain a Nation at war.
  Our men and women serving in uniform, serving in dangerous places all 
over the globe, deserve the peace of mind of knowing that during the 
worst of times their families will receive the benefits they deserve 
immediately. This bill removes any ambiguity on this point.
  This is a bipartisan bill with Democratic and Republican cosponsors 
that, I believe, should pass with overwhelming support.

                              {time}  1245

  Mr. Speaker, we are all looking for legislation upon which we can 
reach consensus. I am hopeful this bill will bring us together, and I 
urge support for it.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise, first of all, to thank Mr. Frelinghuysen for 
bringing this legislation to the floor. I want to thank Chairman Young 
of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and the subcommittee members 
for their work, and I certainly support the gentleman's legislation.
  Unfortunately, the Department of Defense had to report that since 
October 1 of this year, 17 servicemembers have perished whose survivors 
would be entitled to a death gratuity payment. So the gentleman's 
legislation is correct in that it is timely, and it should pass.
  The only other observation I would make at the beginning of the 
debate is the House passed the Pay Our Troops Act, H.R. 3210. I would 
hope that none of our colleagues are under the misimpression that we 
have solved all of our problems relative to our national defense 
because, in a comprehensive fashion, essentially, it deals with about 
40 percent of the Department's budget.
  The problem that Mr. Frelinghuysen is attempting to address today is 
but a slice of that 60 percent that, unfortunately, the Government of 
the United States has not dealt with since the beginning of the fiscal 
year. But, again, I strongly support and thank the gentleman for his 
efforts.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to 
the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), chairman of the full 
Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I thank the chairman for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, the Honoring the 
Families of Fallen Soldiers Act. This bill, as has been said, will 
ensure that the families of U.S. military members who have given the 
ultimate sacrifice will receive the benefits they were promised in 
spite of this unfortunate government shutdown.
  The House has voted to take care of our warfighters by ensuring that 
they will be paid during the fiscal crisis, but our responsibility to 
our soldiers doesn't end there by any means.
  As they put their lives on the line on behalf of this Nation, our 
brave soldiers shouldn't be concerned about who will take care of their 
families. That's part of our Nation's agreement with our men and women 
in uniform: You take care of the United States, and we will take care 
of you and your beloved family.
  To this end, the bill allows continued funding to guarantee that the 
government honors its commitments to our military families without 
delay. It allows funding to provide a death gratuity to families of 
fallen soldiers. This is a lump payment to assist them in one of their 
greatest times of need.
  The bill also allows for the customary financial assistance for 
funeral costs, family travel and housing, back salary payments, and 
living expenses. It's certainly the least we can do for those who make 
the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
  The reality is we are a Nation at war. Wars don't stop just because 
our government is not functioning properly, nor do our obligations to 
our soldiers get put on pause while we work to clean things up.
  To the families who have lost a son, a daughter, a sister, a brother, 
a husband, or a wife to war, this bill is our commitment to you that 
you should not have to suffer even more heartache after such a 
significant loss.
  This legislation is the right thing to do. It should be passed 
without delay. I urge a ``yes'' vote.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Barber).
  Mr. BARBER. I thank the gentleman.
  First of all, I want to thank Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member 
Lowey, Mr. Young, and Mr. Visclosky for taking up this critical 
legislation and for moving it so quickly to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, our Nation lost five patriots in 
Afghanistan. We need to remember who they were:
  First Lieutenant Jennifer Moreno, U.S. Army;
  Sergeant Joseph Peters, U.S. Army;
  Sergeant Patrick Hawkins, U.S. Army;
  Private First Class Cody Patterson, U.S. Army;
  Lance Corporal Jeremiah Collins, U.S. Marine Corps.
  Thirty-six hours after they were killed, their families were notified 
that our government would not pay death benefits because of the 
government shutdown.
  When I heard about this yesterday morning, I simply could not believe 
it was true. I asked my staff to look into the matter and find out if 
it could possibly be true. Unfortunately, they confirmed that indeed we 
had denied these benefits. We took immediate action, and along with a 
bipartisan group of Members representing the districts where these 
fallen heroes lived, we moved forward and introduced this legislation.
  As has been said, the bill will provide funding to pay survivor 
benefits and cover the funeral costs for these military families and 
all servicemembers who may give the ultimate sacrifice during this 
shutdown of our government services.
  God forbid that any other family should be put in this situation 
again. It is absolutely abhorrent that we would leave our military 
families without assistance when they are at their most vulnerable time 
of trying to deal with their loss and grief.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and their 
remarks and include extraneous materials on H.J. Res. 91, and that I 
may include tabular material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Thornberry),

[[Page 15500]]

a distinguished member of the Armed Services Committee.
  Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the leadership of the 
gentleman from New Jersey in all matters related to national security, 
as well as the leadership of the gentleman from Indiana.
  I also appreciate the gentleman from New Jersey's bringing this 
measure to the floor. It's rather unfortunate and somewhat amazing to 
me, actually, that he has to.
  The Pay Our Military Act passed the House on September 29, passed the 
Senate, and was signed by the President the next day. It says clearly 
that there are hereby appropriated such sums as are necessary to 
provide pay and allowances to members of the Armed Forces.
  Who would have ever thought that some lawyer in the Pentagon would 
say that the death and other benefits we are talking about today would 
not be included in that? Rather than spend more time in squabbles with 
lawyers, I think the gentleman from New Jersey wisely has brought this 
measure to the floor just to make it clear so everybody understands 
that all of these allowances should be paid.
  I think it's also, Mr. Speaker, very important for all of us to say 
that our hearts grieve with the families for whom this benefit is 
immediately relevant. Money alone, of course, cannot express our 
gratitude for the sacrifice and the service that their loved ones have 
given to this country. But it is important, even in these times when we 
have differences on fiscal and other issues, that the House come 
together and everybody unites, regardless of our opinions about other 
targeted funding issues, to say that we will stand with those families 
who have given so much to our Nation.
  So, again, I commend the gentleman from New Jersey for bringing this, 
and I hope that all of my colleagues will vote in support of this 
measure.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota 
(Ms. McCollum).
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, House Republicans made a purely political 
choice to shut down our government to advance their agenda.
  Unbelievably, House Republicans decided to shut down our government 
with thousands of American servicemen and -women on the battlefields in 
Afghanistan. We are here today because brave Americans who gave their 
lives on the battlefield were being denied funeral benefits because of 
this shutdown. Their families were being denied payments of survivor 
benefits.
  This is a disgrace and a shameful consequence of the irresponsible 
Republican majority. This is an outrage.
  The fact that we are here today to pass this bill is a clear 
admission that America's fallen heroes have been abandoned in this 
shameless political game being played.
  Passing this bill is absolutely needed, but this bill requires us to 
recognize the willful failure of the Republican leadership in this 
House to fund our Federal Government and to provide our servicemen and 
-women all that they need.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), a member of the Armed Services 
Committee.
  Mr. HUNTER. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey and all of my 
colleagues on the Appropriations Committee who are bringing this up so 
quickly and for fast-tracking it.
  Mr. Speaker, I was in the Marine Corps. I did three tours: two in 
Iraq, one in Afghanistan. I served with these men and women. I have met 
their wives, their husbands, their kids, their families. I sat down 
with them. I've had dinner with them. I want to say from the bottom of 
my heart, I apologize for the shameful act of the administration's 
lawyers in determining that what we passed last month does not count 
for paying this death benefit.
  When the lawyers in the administration made the decision to not count 
the death benefit, they broke a sacred trust with our U.S. military men 
and women and those on the front lines. It is up to us in this Congress 
to restore that trust for the American people and for our military that 
we have sent to war for whom we have a responsibility.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Barber).
  Mr. BARBER. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to say the denial of this benefit is 
absolutely outrageous, and it is a disgrace. We've broken our 
fundamental promise to fallen heroes, and we must fix it. This bill 
will do just that.
  We must also ensure that it never happens again. That's why, later 
today, I will be introducing a bill that makes sure we never forsake 
our fallen servicemembers or any member of our uniformed services ever 
again under these circumstances.
  I am very pleased that we came together today in a bipartisan 
fashion. I thank my colleagues for coming together and for putting 
their differences aside in order to honor these commitments to those 
who have fallen and in order to take care of their families in this 
time of need. I hope we will see a unanimous vote in approving this 
bill.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to 
the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), a member of the Armed 
Services Committee.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Thank you, Congressman Frelinghuysen. I 
am very grateful that my oldest son's in-laws are ably served in New 
Jersey by Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand today to express my shock at the 
administration's absolutely disgusting failure to keep faith with those 
who paid the ultimate price in the service of our country.
  Today, four of our fallen have arrived at Dover Air Force Base, and 
the families in attendance will have had to pay their own way to be 
there for the arrival of their loved ones. This is a disgrace and an 
intentional policy to cause pain by this administration, whose actions 
are disrespectful of those who have made our freedoms possible.
  Soon, we will vote to restate the critical death gratuities that we 
owe in no uncertain terms to the families of our fallen servicemembers 
to correct the injustice that has been thrust upon them.
  I am particularly disappointed in the administration, as the son of a 
veteran, as a 31-year veteran myself, and as a grateful father of four 
sons currently serving in the military.
  This Congress, in a bipartisan way, passed the Pay Our Military Act. 
It was signed into law for the express purpose of making sure that 
those who served in our Armed Forces in the defense of our freedom are 
paid all that they are owed. The administration already has the 
authority to pay this gratuity.
  Every effort should be made to respect our servicemembers and 
military families. The administration is playing politics on the backs 
of the families of our fallen. This is unconscionable.
  Today's vote will give us an opportunity to do our duty to take care 
of the families of our fallen servicemembers. I urge my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle to vote in favor of this bill.

                              {time}  1300

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. 
Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I rise in enthusiastic support of H.J. Res. 91, and 
I thank the ranking member and the chairman for recognizing that all 
Members--all Members--had a pain in their heart regarding those mothers 
and fathers who are now suffering the loss of their children, four 
young men and one young woman, to my recollection, names that we should 
never forget because we are a Nation at war. For that reason, I believe 
that this was of great concern to the administration and Secretary 
Hagel. They're in a dilemma, a conflict, if you will, on the present 
shutdown of the government.
  But I would say to the chairman and ranking member, this is what 
Congress is all about, fixing the problem.
  Mr. Speaker, I will place into the Record my letter to Secretary 
Hagel asking for relief for these families. Now we have it.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.

[[Page 15501]]


  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield an additional 10 seconds to the gentlewoman.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. If I might just inquire, a question of the Chair on 
H.J. Res. 91: Would you accept a unanimous consent request to ask that 
every Member of the House be considered an original sponsor or 
cosponsor of this legislation, H.J. Res. 91?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman's request cannot be 
entertained. There is a proper procedure for adding cosponsors.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I make that request now.
                                    Congress of the United States,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                  Washington, DC, October 8, 2013.
     Hon. Chuck Hagel,
     Secretary of Defense,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Hagel: Let me express my appreciation for 
     your service to our nation and for the sacrifices being made 
     by men and women in uniform serving far from home to keep 
     America safe.
       As you may be aware, this past weekend five members of the 
     Armed Forces fell in battle while serving in Afghanistan. All 
     Americans mourn their loss and extend our condolences to 
     their families.
       I am particularly disturbed to learn that death benefits 
     have been withheld from the families of the fallen due to the 
     government shutdown.
       I am therefore requesting that you review H.R. 3210, the 
     ``Pay Our Military Act,'' which the President signed into law 
     as Pub. L. 113-039 on September 30, 2013, and direct that 
     death benefits be paid to the families immediately so that 
     they can travel to Dover Air Force Base and defray the cost 
     of funeral expenses for these fallen heroes.
       As a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I 
     know how important the work done by our men and women in 
     uniform serving abroad is to the mission of keeping the 
     homeland secure. I know also that your commitment to our men 
     and women in uniform is unparalleled.
       Thank you for your reconsideration. Please contact me if I 
     can be of further assistance.
           Very Truly Yours,
                                               Sheila Jackson Lee,
                                               Member of Congress.

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Bishop), a member of the Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday, four brave United States 
servicemembers died in service to our Nation. Like too many before, 
Lieutenant Jennifer Moreno, Sergeant Hawkins, Sergeant Joseph Peters, 
and Private First Class Cody Patterson were killed--far from home--by 
an improvised explosive device in the remote Kandahar province of 
Afghanistan.
  Now, due to the government shutdown, their families have not been 
disbursed the standard survivor benefits from the United States 
military that they are rightfully owed. These benefits include 
reimbursement to the family for funeral expenses, payment of survivor 
housing, reimbursement for funeral travel, travel associated with 
dignified transfer of the remains, and other expenses.
  This is, beyond a doubt, an outrage. Two of the fallen, Sergeant 
Hawkins and Private Patterson, were based in my district at Fort 
Benning, Georgia. Both soldiers were members of the Army's prestigious 
75th Ranger Regiment. Sergeant Hawkins was serving his fourth 
deployment to Afghanistan and Private Patterson his second.
  Imagine the pain these families are going through in coping with the 
death of a loved one. Now imagine being greeted with the cold shoulder 
of a shuttered government, their country turning on them all because of 
an unnecessary shutdown.
  How dare we not provide these grieving families with the necessary 
support in their time of need. I am truly embarrassed that these 
shutdown shenanigans have impacted these brave soldiers' families in 
this way.
  To those people who say the government shutdown is only of minimal 
impact, remember these families. This is not minimal. These are our 
sons and daughters we have sent to combat in faraway lands, and they 
should never have to question our Nation's resolve in taking care of 
their families. We must reopen our government so that such 
inconveniences do not continue to plague our Nation.
  In the meantime, let's pass this bill, H.J. Res. 91, for our Nation's 
military families.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York 
(Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, without question, every Member of the House 
should support providing a death gratuity for family members following 
the death of service personnel.
  The majority is once again proposing an approach that addresses 
today's problem but leaves the overarching crisis before us unresolved. 
Major gaps in capabilities remain with neither a fully functioning 
national defense nor a fully functioning Federal Government.
  The Republican shutdown and piecemeal plan is damaging to the 
Department of Defense: it hurts our credibility with our allies; 
reports from the Asian-Pacific Economic Forum suggest that the shutdown 
raises questions about U.S. political stability and plays into Chinese 
and Russian foreign policy objectives; and the Army Chief of Staff has 
said the shutdown is harming readiness.
  Even if Republicans' irresponsible piecemeal bills were enacted, at 
the rate they are going, it would take until after Christmas before the 
government is fully up and running.
  We could end the shutdown today if Republican leadership would allow 
a vote. Democrats have negotiated. We didn't just meet in the middle; 
in fact, we agreed to the Republican spending level in the stopgap 
bill.
  How many more times will the majority discover an unintended 
consequence before they come to their senses and allow a vote to end 
the reckless Republican shutdown?
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. If I could ask my friend how many more speakers he has 
on his side.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. We anticipate, through the Chair, several more 
speakers; but I assume we are both waiting, perhaps, for some 
additional.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. That is what both of us are doing, and we can continue 
talking to each other.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I would be happy to.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Let me say to the gentleman that I want to salute you and Chairman 
Young for sponsoring this legislation, which is truly bipartisan, for 
bringing it to the floor and for giving Members of both parties an 
opportunity to join together. At a time when there is a lot of 
disjointment around here and lack of consensus, on this there is no 
argument at all; and I am highly appreciative of all that you have done 
to assist in this process.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I appreciate the gentleman's 
remark about our chairman, Mr. Young, who has announced his retirement 
at the end of this Congress. You could find no finer person in the 
world--a kinder heart or wanting to leave the world better--than our 
chairman.
  I would use this time while we are waiting to simply follow on 
Chairman Rogers' remark in reminding all of our colleagues that we do 
continue to be a Nation at war, and while we have lost 17 individuals 
since October 1, in fact, this Nation has lost 117 people since the 
beginning of this year.
  I do hope, as we proceed with the United States Congress and the 
administration, people understand that we ought to fully fund not just 
the Department of Defense for their important job, but the other 
agencies of this government, and certainly through the regular 
appropriations process.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, our government has no greater responsibility than to 
take care of the families of our brave men and women who have fought 
and died for our country. This legislation will ensure, as we've said 
earlier in this discussion, without question and any ambiguity, that 
the Department of Defense should provide payment of death

[[Page 15502]]

gratuities and other benefits to families of our fallen men and women 
in uniform.
  I urge support for this bipartisan legislation, and I thank Chairman 
Young and Ranking Member Visclosky for their leadership in making sure 
this bill gets to the President as quickly as possible.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 
91. Yesterday the Department of Defense issued a press release saying 
the Pentagon does not have the authority to pay death gratuities for 
the survivors of service members killed in action. This is beyond 
unacceptable.
  Prior to the end of the fiscal year this body passed the Pay Our 
Military Act, giving the Secretary of Defense plenty of latitude on 
prioritizing military pay and allowances to Service Members.
  This act was understood to provide for death benefits to families of 
fallen troops during the government shutdown.
  I add my voice to the cacophony of frustrated colleagues in 
disbelief. We are flabbergasted that the Death Gratuity, which provides 
surviving family members $100,000 in death benefits, was not brought to 
our attention sooner.
  Our office received a phone call from a constituent yesterday who was 
enraged that military families were no longer receiving these benefits.
  Having deployed as a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves, I have been 
in those life altering situations where the loss of life uproots a 
family's sense of normalcy.
  The immediate days after learning of a service member's death are 
critical for a bereaving family. Knowing the cost of burial and other 
after life care is provided for makes the situation a little more 
bearable.
  I plead with this Congress to not turn this issue into one of our 
normal political footballs where we punt the issue from one body to the 
next. Let us decide now to take care of our citizens who have offered 
up their sons and daughters, husbands and wives to the defense of our 
Nation.
  Today this body will choose the moral imperative and tell the 
families who have lost it all, your cries are being heard and your 
broken hearts have moved our Chamber into action.
  I implore the House with the strongest conviction I possess to move 
on this legislation and return military families back to focus on 
rebuilding their lives.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in strong support of 
H.J. Res. 91 the Department of Defense Survivor Benefits Continuing 
Appropriations Resolution for 2014.
  The Federal Government functions as a cohesive unit, not as 
dismembered parts. The Federal Departments, subagencies, independent 
agencies, commissions, and offices interact with each other much like a 
military unit serving in the field.
  They have relationships that are not apparent until they are revealed 
most often when a critical need for the Federal Government function is 
not present when another agency or most important when someone needs 
that service.
  I along with fellow members of the United States House of 
Representatives stand together to honor and recognize the sacrifice of 
Sergeant Patrick C. Hawkins, First Lieutenant Jennifer M. Moreno, 
Sergeant Joseph M. Peters, Private First Class Cody J. Patterson, and 
Lance Corporal Jeremiah Collins who lost their lives in defense of this 
nation and pray for their families that they find solace, grace and 
mercy.
  We made a promise to them and to their families to support them when 
deployed, and take care of their families at home so they can serve 
without fear or concern for the wellbeing of their loved ones.
  We also promised all of our men and women in the armed services that 
should the unthinkable happen and their lives are lost in the service 
of this nation we will step in and be there for their families.
  This promise is one that the House and the President take very 
seriously, but the business of politics is intervening in our discharge 
of the most basic function of Congress to fund the entire Federal 
Government.
  Sergeant Patrick C. Hawkins, First Lieutenant Jennifer M. Moreno, 
Sergeant Joseph M. Peters, Private First Class Cody J. Patterson, and 
Lance Corporal Jeremiah Collins did not forget their duty nor ignore 
the obligations to keep the oath they took to protect this nation from 
all enemies both foreign and domestic.
  The majority has to put the nation's interest ahead of their 
political interest--the ideological, social or cultural values that you 
embrace cannot supersede the needs of our nation. Congress' insistence 
on funding some parts of the Federal government, while intentionally 
not funding others is causing confusion and doubt about what can and 
cannot be funded.
  This is understandable since the Federal funding process has never 
occurred in this way.
  Members of the House of Representatives know how serious Congress 
takes Federal employees coloring outside of the lines when it comes to 
Congressional legislative intent when they carry out their work. We do 
not ask Federal employees to be creative with the purse strings of the 
government, but the mini-CR process is creating confusion and 
uncertainty on how Federal employees working with a mini-CR, reduced 
staff and under Sequestration determine how to proceed within the law.
  Appropriations bills can be hundreds of pages long depending on the 
size of the agency. When the House of Representatives insisted on 
closing the entire Federal government, then decides to engage in this 
absurd process of mini-continuing resolution, they knew we were moving 
Federal employees into uncharted waters.
  There will be other surprises regarding what agency is needed to 
provide a service to a group or another part of the Federal Government.
  Mr. Speaker, the House majority has this Nation stumbling around a 
dark room looking for a way out, but we know how to escape this drama. 
The flashlight that can lead us out of this darkness is the passage of 
the Senate's clean CR.
  I pay tribute to these American heroes:
  Sergeant Patrick C. Hawkins, 25, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, assigned 
to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. In 
2010, he enlisted into the Army following his high school graduation.
  He has been posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious 
Service Medal and Purple Heart. Sergeant Hawkins has been awarded the 
Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good 
Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign 
Medal with two Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, 
Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, and the 
Presidential Unit Citation.
  Sergeant Hawkins was described by fellow service persons as ``a brave 
and incredibly talented Ranger.'' It is reported that he was killed 
while going to the aid of a fallen fellow soldier. The Ranger Creed: I 
will never leave a fallen comrade, is part of the values held by 
soldiers--they put others before themselves and in doing so assure 
success of their missions.
  First Lieutenant Jennifer M. Moreno, 25, of San Diego, California, 
assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 
Washington. First Lieutenant Moreno volunteered to be a member of a 
cultural support team that joined efforts with a special operations 
task force serving in Afghanistan.
  She grew up in Logan Heights with her mother, two sisters and a 
brother who is also in the Army.
  Sergeant Joseph M. Peters, 24, of Springfield, Missouri, assigned to 
the 5th Military Police Battalion, Vicenza, Italy. It is reported that 
the Army's Criminal Investigation Command (CID) said that Sergeant 
Joseph M. Peters was assigned to one of their Special Operations units. 
Sergeant Peters investigated felony level crimes involving the Army. 
Peters was the first special agent for CID to be killed in Iraq or 
Afghanistan.
  Private First Class Cody J. Patterson, 24, of Philomath, Oregon, 
assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Fort Benning, 
Georgia. This was his second deployment to Afghanistan. He was 
described as:

     . . . courageous and dedicated and lost his life while 
     fighting tenaciously against our nation's enemies alongside 
     his fellow Rangers. Our thoughts and prayers are with the 
     Patterson family.

  Lance Corporal Jeremiah Collins, 19, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 
assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II 
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
  We offer our heartfelt sympathy to the families and fellow soldiers 
of those who died.
  Mr. Speaker I ask that my Colleagues work together to end this 
impasse so that we can have a whole and completely functioning Federal 
government.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.J. Res. 91.
  This past Sunday four of our brave soldiers were killed in 
Afghanistan by a roadside bomb. Those four included an Army nurse from 
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, an Army criminal investigator from the 5th 
Military Police Battalion in Vicenza, Italy, and two Army Rangers from 
Company B, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Fort Benning, 
Georgia, which borders my Congressional District, and which I feel a 
deep commitment to.

[[Page 15503]]

  And earlier this week I was shocked and angered to learn that the 
Secretary of Defense and the President were withholding the Death 
Gratuity for the families of these fallen heroes.
  For those of you who do not know what that is, the Death Gratuity is 
a benefit payable to a designated beneficiary, in a lump sum of 
$100,000, for a death on active duty or inactive duty training, and 
Burial Benefits which provide up to $10,500 to survivors to cover 
expenses related to the burial of the service member.
  In order to prevent these kinds of delays in benefits, on September 
29th, with my full support, the House passed H.R. 3210, the Pay Our 
Military Act. On September 30th the bill was passed by the Senate and 
signed into law by President Obama.
  Among other things, that bill was to ensure that during the shut down 
there would be funds available to provide pay and allowances to members 
of the Armed Forces, including reserve components, who are performing 
active service.
  The Congressional intent of the legislation was clear: to give the 
Department of Defense the authority to pay these very types benefits to 
the men and women of this great Nation who have sacrificed to preserve 
our freedoms. It is a shame that the President and Secretary of Defense 
are playing politics and not honoring the Congressional intent of the 
bill already signed into law.
  What is even more shameful is that as the Commander in Chief, 
President Obama is not honoring that role. As the head of our Nation's 
military, I find it incomprehensible that he has not ordered these 
benefits to be paid out no matter what. Congress has already approved 
these funds, but the buck stops with the President, literally. How can 
the leader of our military turn his back on those he swore to lead?
  It is for that reason I speak in support of H.J. Res. 91. This bill 
will ensure death gratuities and related survivor benefits will be paid 
out to those families who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our 
nation.
  I hope both sides of the aisle show the president today that he 
cannot play politics at the expense of our fallen service men and 
women, and their families, and give these brave soldiers the respect 
they deserve.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the joint resolution, H.J. Res. 91.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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