I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1618 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a group disability insur-
ance benefit for members of the Armed Forces who incur certain severe 
disabilities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 13, 2005 
Mr. RENZI (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. HAYWORTH, and Mr. 
JONES of North Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a group 
disability insurance benefit for members of the Armed 
Forces who incur certain severe disabilities. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Wounded Warrior 
Servicemembers Group Disability Insurance Act of 2005’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF A PROGRAM OF GROUP DIS-
ABILITY 
INSURANCE 
FOR 
SEVERELY 
IN-
JURED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 19 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subchapter: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER V—SERVICEMEMBERS’ GROUP 
DISABILITY INSURANCE 
‘‘§ 1991. Definitions; program name 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—Except as otherwise expressly 
provided, the definitions set forth in section 1965 of this 
title are applicable to this subchapter. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM NAME.—The program of insurance 
under this subchapter is known as ‘Servicemembers’ 
Group Disability Insurance’. 
‘‘§ 1992. Program authority; eligible insurance compa-
nies 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.—The Secretary is au-
thorized, without regard to section 3709 of the Revised 
Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5), to purchase from one or more in-
surance companies a policy or policies of group disability 
insurance to provide the benefits specified in this sub-
chapter. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE INSURANCE COMPANIES.—The Sec-
retary may only purchase a policy under this subchapter 
from an insurance company that—
‘‘(1) is licensed to issue disability insurance in 
each of the 50 States of the United States and in 
the District of Columbia; and 
‘‘(2) as of the most recent December 31 for 
which information is available to the Secretary, has 
in effect at least 1 percent of the total amount of 
group disability insurance which all insurance com-
panies have in effect in the United States. 
‘‘(c) INSURANCE COMPANY ADMINISTRATIVE OF-
FICE.—Any insurance company issuing a policy under this 
subchapter shall establish an administrative office at a 
place and under a name designated by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) REINSURANCE.—The Secretary shall arrange 
with any insurance company issuing a policy under this 
subchapter to reinsure, under conditions approved by the 
Secretary, portions of the total amount of insurance under 
such policy with such other insurance companies (which 
meet qualifying criteria set forth by the Secretary) as may 
elect to participate in such reinsurance. 
‘‘(e) DISCONTINUATION
OF POLICIES.—The Sec-
retary may at any time discontinue any policy that the 
Secretary has purchased from any insurance company 
under this subchapter.
‘‘§ 1993. Persons insured; amount 
‘‘(a) PERSONS INSURED.—(1) Subject to an election 
under paragraph (2), any policy of insurance purchased 
by the Secretary under section 1992 of this title shall 
automatically insure any person insured under section 
1966 of this title. 
‘‘(2) A person insured under section 1966 of this title 
may elect in writing not to be insured under this sub-
chapter. Any such election shall be in such form as the 
Secretary may prescribe. 
‘‘(b) AMOUNT
OF INSURANCE.—The amount for 
which a person is insured under this subchapter is 
$50,000. 
‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE OF COVERAGE.—The insur-
ance under this subchapter shall be effective with respect 
to a member on the latest of the following dates: 
‘‘(1) The first day of active duty or active duty 
for training. 
‘‘(2) The beginning of a period of inactive duty 
training scheduled in advance by competent author-
ity. 
‘‘(3) In the case of a member of the Ready Re-
serve, the first day on which the member meets the 
qualifications set forth in section 1965(5)(B) of this 
title.
‘‘(4) The date certified by the Secretary to the 
Secretary 
concerned 
as 
the 
date 
on 
which 
Servicemembers’ Group Disability Insurance under 
this subchapter for the class or group concerned 
takes effect. 
‘‘(d) MEMBERS INJURED WHILE PROCEEDED TO OR 
FROM DUTY.—(1) Any member (other than one who has 
elected not to be insured under this subchapter for the 
period or periods of duty involved)— 
‘‘(A) who, when authorized or required by com-
petent authority, assumes an obligation to perform 
(for less than 31 days) active duty, or active duty 
for training, or inactive duty training scheduled in 
advance by competent authority; and 
‘‘(B) who is rendered uninsurable at standard 
premium rates according to the good health stand-
ards approved by the Secretary, from a disability, or 
aggravation of a preexisting disability, incurred by 
such member while proceeding directly to or return-
ing directly from such active duty, active duty for 
training, or inactive duty training as the case may 
be; 
shall be deemed to have been on active duty, active duty 
for training, or inactive duty training, as the case may
be, and to have been insured under this subchapter at the 
time such disability was incurred or aggravated. 
‘‘(2) In determining whether or not such member was 
so authorized or required to perform such duty, and 
whether or not such member was rendered uninsurable 
from a disability so incurred or aggravated, there shall be 
taken into account— 
‘‘(A) the call or order to duty, the orders and 
authorizations of competent authority, the hour on 
which the member began to so proceed or to return, 
and the hour on which the member was scheduled to 
arrive for, or on which such member ceased to per-
form, such duty; 
‘‘(B) the method of travel employed; 
‘‘(C) the member’s itinerary; 
‘‘(D) the manner in which the travel was per-
formed; and 
‘‘(E) the immediate cause of disability. 
‘‘(3) Whenever any claim is filed alleging that a per-
son insured under this subchapter is entitled to benefits 
by reason of this subsection, the burden of proof shall be 
on the insured person. 
‘‘(e) SUBSEQUENT COVERAGE AFTER ELECTION NOT 
TO BE COVERED.—If a person eligible for insurance under 
this subchapter is not so insured by reason of an election