A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to include in the death gratuity payable to survivors of a member of the Armed Forces who dies on active duty an amount equivalent to two months' housing allowances.
PL 99-227 (H.R.3974), enacted 12/28/1985

PUBLIC LAW 99-227—DEC. 28, 1985 
99 STAT. 1745 
Public Law 99-227 
99th Congress 
An Act 
To provide for temporary family housing or temporary housing allowances for 
Y)ec 28 1985 
dependents of members of the Armed Forces who die on or after December 12,1985, 
and for other purposes. 
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[H.R. 3974] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 403 of 
title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof 
the following new subsection: 
"(1X1) The Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of Transpor-
tation in the case of the Coast Guard when not operating as a 
service in the Navy, may allow the dependents of a member of the 
Armed Forces who dies in line of duty and whose dependents are 
occup3dng family housing provided by the Department of Defense, or 
by the Department of Transportation in the case of the Coast Guard, 
other than on a rental basis on the date of the member's death to 
continue to occupy such housing without charge for a period of 90 
days. 
"(2) The Secretary concerned may pay an allowance for quarters 
to the dependents of a member of the uniformed services who dies in 
line of duty and whose dependents are not occup3dng a housing 
facility under the jurisdiction of a uniformed service on the date of 
the member's death or are occupying such housing on a rental basis 
on such date, or whose dependents vacate such housing sooner than 
90 days after the date of the member's death. The amount of the 
allowance for quarters shall be the same amount that would be 
payable to the deceased member under sections 403, 403a, and 405 of 
this title if the member had not died. The pajmient of an allowance 
Ante, pp. 636, 
for quarters under this subsection shall terminate 90 days after the 
9^%^^ ^^^ 
date of the member's death.". 
SEC. 2. The amendments made by section 1 of this Act shall take 
Effective date. 
effect December 12, 1985, and shall apply only with respect to 
37 use 403 note. 
housing for and payment of an allowance for quarters to dependents 
of members of the uniformed services who died on or after that date. 
SEC. 3. SERVICEMEN'S GROUP LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAM.—Section 
401(c) of Public Law 99-166 is amended to read as follows: 
Ante, p. 956. 
"(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
38 use 767 
amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall take effect on 
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January 1,1986. 
"(2) The amendment made by subsection (aXlXA) shall be deemed 
to have taken effect on December 12,1985, with respect to members 
who— 
99 STAT. 1746 
PUBLIC LAW 99-227—DEC. 28, 1985 
"(A) died after December 11,1985, and before January 1,1986; 
and 
"(B) were, on the date of death, insured in the amount of 
$35,000 under subchapter III of chapter 19 of title 38, United 
38 use 765. 
States Code.". 
Approved December 28, 1985. 
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LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3974 (S. 1956): 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 131 (1985): 
Dec. 18, considered and passed House; considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Dec. 19, House concurred in Senate amendments.