Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Enhancement Act of 2005
PL 109-80 (H.R.3200), enacted 09/30/2005

119 STAT. 2045
PUBLIC LAW 109–80—SEPT. 30, 2005
Public Law 109–80
109th Congress
An Act
To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the Servicemembers’ Group
Life Insurance program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Servicemembers’ Group Life
Insurance Enhancement Act of 2005’’.
SEC. 2. REPEALER.
Effective as of August 31, 2005, section 1012 of division A
of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense,
the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005 (Public Law
109–13; 119 Stat. 244), including the amendments made by that
section, are repealed, and sections 1967, 1969, 1970, and 1977
of title 38, United States Code, shall be applied as if that section
had not been enacted.
SEC. 3. INCREASE FROM $250,000 TO $400,000 IN AUTOMATIC MAXIMUM
COVERAGE UNDER SERVICEMEMBERS’ GROUP LIFE
INSURANCE AND VETERANS’ GROUP LIFE INSURANCE.
(a) MAXIMUM UNDER SGLI.—Section 1967 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(i), by striking ‘‘$250,000’’ and
inserting ‘‘$400,000’’; and
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘of $250,000’’ and inserting
‘‘in effect under paragraph (3)(A)(i) of that subsection’’.
(b) MAXIMUM UNDER VGLI.—Section 1977(a) of such title is
amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘in excess of $250,000
at any one time’’ and inserting ‘‘at any one time in excess
of the maximum amount for Servicemembers’ Group Life Insur-
ance in effect under section 1967(a)(3)(A)(i) of this title’’; and
(2) in paragraph (2)—
(A) by striking ‘‘for less than $250,000 under
Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance’’ and inserting
‘‘under Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance for less than
the maximum amount for such insurance in effect under
section 1967(a)(3)(A)(i) of this title’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘does not exceed $250,000’’ and
inserting ‘‘does not exceed such maximum amount in effect
under such section’’.
38 USC 1967
note.
Effective date.
Applicability.
Servicemembers’
Group Life
Insurance
Enhancement
Act of 2005.
38 USC 101 note.
Sept. 30, 2005
[H.R. 3200]
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119 STAT. 2046
PUBLIC LAW 109–80—SEPT. 30, 2005
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this section
shall take effect as of September 1, 2005, and shall apply with
respect to deaths occurring on or after that date.
SEC. 4. SPOUSAL NOTIFICATIONS RELATING TO SERVICEMEMBERS’
GROUP LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAM.
Effective as of September 1, 2005, section 1967 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following
new subsection:
‘‘(f)(1) If a member who is married and who is eligible for
insurance under this section makes an election under subsection
(a)(2)(A) not to be insured under this subchapter, the Secretary
concerned shall notify the member’s spouse, in writing, of that
election.
‘‘(2) In the case of a member who is married and who is
insured under this section and whose spouse is designated as a
beneficiary of the member under this subchapter, whenever the
member makes an election under subsection (a)(3)(B) for insurance
of the member in an amount that is less than the maximum
amount provided under subsection (a)(3)(A)(i), the Secretary con-
cerned shall notify the member’s spouse, in writing, of that
election—
‘‘(A) in the case of the first such election; and
‘‘(B) in the case of any subsequent such election if the
effect of such election is to reduce the amount of insurance
coverage of the member from that in effect immediately before
such election.
‘‘(3) In the case of a member who is married and who is
insured under this section, if the member makes a designation
under section 1970(a) of this title of any person other than the
spouse or a child of the member as the beneficiary of the member
for any amount of insurance under this subchapter, the Secretary
concerned shall notify the member’s spouse, in writing, that such
a beneficiary designation has been made by the member, except
that such a notification is not required if the spouse has previously
received such a notification under this paragraph and if immediately
before the new designation by the member under section 1970(a)
of this title the spouse is not a designated beneficiary of the member
for any amount of insurance under this subchapter.
‘‘(4) A notification required by this subsection is satisfied by
a good faith effort to provide the required information to the spouse
at the last address of the spouse in the records of the Secretary
concerned. Failure to provide a notification required under this
subsection in a timely manner does not affect the validity of any
election specified in paragraph (1) or (2) or beneficiary designation
specified in paragraph (3).’’.
SEC. 5. INCREMENTS OF INSURANCE THAT MAY BE ELECTED.
(a) INCREASE IN INCREMENT AMOUNT.—Subsection (a)(3)(B) of
section 1967 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking
‘‘member or spouse’’ in the last sentence and inserting ‘‘member,
be evenly divisible by $50,000 and, in the case of a member’s
spouse,’’.
Effective date.
38 USC 1967
note.
38 USC 1967
note.
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119 STAT. 2047
PUBLIC LAW 109–80—SEPT. 30, 2005
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3200:
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 109–177 (Comm. on Veterans’ Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 151 (2005):
July 26, considered and passed House.
Sept. 27, considered and passed Senate, amended.
Sept. 28, House concurred in Senate amendment.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect as of September 1, 2005.
Approved September 30, 2005.
38 USC 1967
note.
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