Bill > AR245

This Resolution urges Congress to pass the Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act, a proposed law aimed at correcting an inequity faced by surviving spouses of military members. Currently, under federal law, these surviving spouses often have to forfeit part or all of their Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity, which is a monthly payment designed to provide financial support after a service member's death, if they also receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). DIC is a benefit paid to eligible survivors of service members whose deaths are caused by their military service. The current system requires a dollar-for-dollar reduction of SBP benefits for every dollar received in DIC, which can significantly reduce or eliminate the SBP payment, even though the DIC is intended to compensate for the loss of the service member due to service-connected causes. While Congress has made some attempts to alleviate this issue, such as through a modest monthly rebate called the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA), these measures are considered insufficient by many survivors, especially those whose spouses died before 2001. The Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act seeks to repeal the provisions that mandate this offset for surviving spouses under 60 years old, prevent the repayment of certain previously paid benefits, and ensure dependent children receive payments when there is no eligible surviving spouse, recognizing that military personnel risk their lives and should be assured their designated benefits for their families are fully provided.