Date: 2001-03-27
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 801. the Veterans Opportunity Act of 2001. As a cosponsor of this legislation. I am proud to be able to say that the committee referred a bill that has practical and immediate effects for many veterans and their loved ones. This legislation comprehensively addresses many issues associated with veterans and their dependents. However. Mr. Speaker. I will not delve into the details of this legislation. Suffice it to say our veterans have earned their benefits. often purchasing them with their own blood. What I would like to speak about today is one section of the legislation that I believe will have an immediate and practical effect for the surviving families of many of our recently deceased veterans. As my colleagues may know. I recently introduced a bill. H.R. 115. the SGLI Adjustment Act.. The substantive language of this bill was incorporated by the committee directly into H.R. 801. This legislation will directly and immediately help many of the families and beneficiaries of those killed since October 1. 2000. Mr. Speaker. as I am sure my colleagues are aware. our military has recently suffered numerous tragedies. The bombing of the U.S.S. Cole. the crash of an Osprey. a Blackhawk. a National Guard airplane. and the accidental bombing of our own troops in Kuwait. All of these accidents were unforeseen. and all of these accidents resulted in the tragic loss of life. Mr. Speaker. thankfully. our Nation has seen fit to provide our servicemen with a program of insurance to allow the families and beneficiaries to have some protection in the event of untimely death. This insurance. Servicemembers Group Life Insurance. otherwise known as SGLI. can be purchased at a low rate for a maximum benefit of up to $200.000. Recently. on November 1 of last year. the President signed a bill increasing this maximum benefit to $250.000. Unfortunately. for those recently affected families. this increase in coverage does not take effect until April 1 of this year. By incorporating the substantive language of my bill. we will retroactively grant Hi133 this increase to those families who had opted for the maximum benefit and subsequently lost a loved one in the performance of their duty. Mr. Speaker. I would like to note that this provision is revenueneutral and is funded from the SGLI Reserve Fund. It follows similar legislative precedent dating from the Gander. Newfoundland. crash and the death indemnity granted after the Gulf War. Additionally. this provision has the direct support and endorsement of several veterans and servicemens organizations. Mr. Speaker. just a few weeks ago. tragedy struck locally in my own district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Several constituents of mine perished in the Air National Guard crash. I attended their memorial service. However. that was the hardest thing I had to face. The families of these servicemen face much harder days ahead. Mr. Speaker. by passing the Veterans Opportunity Act of 2001. we will show the families and beneficiaries of these servicemen that we do. indeed. care. We take care of our own. Never let it be said that we do not. � I ask that the other Members of the House support H.R. 801. In the long term. this is the only way in which we will be able to assist the fafhilies of those recently perished. Mr. Speaker. I would be remiss if I did not thank the committee and its staff for their hard work and dedication in seeing this bill brought to the floor. In particular. I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey