Since 01-17-06
2007 NDAA SBP/DIC Issues Left Over from 2006 NDAA
Since 01-17-06
From:
USDR Action Alerts
Sent: Jan 16, 2006 7:47 PM
To: James Santos
Subject: 2007 NDAA SBP/DIC Issues Left Over from 2006 NDAA
2007 NDAA SBP/DIC Issues Left Over from 2006 NDAA
2007 NDAA SBP/DIC Issues
http://capwiz.com/usdr/utr/1/IQGVFJTNTM/CGVDFJTNWM/583703421
Please send the following message to your elected officials and media --
As your voting constituent, I urge your interest, consponsorship, and active support of S185/HR808/HR968 which were introduced during the 1st session and are still valid for the 2nd session of the 109th Congress. Collectively, these three bills would would --
(1) grant relief to 375,000 retired military career veterans who are at least age 70 and who have paid premiums for at least 30 years from the overpayment of military surivors' benefits premiums, and
(2) grant relief to 55,000 widows of retired military career veterans from the "VA Widow's Tax" where the survivor's benefits purchased by their deceased spouses are offset $1 for $1 received from VA DIC (Dependents Indemnification Compensation).
As you will recall during the joint deliberations for the 2006 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this past November, the Senate included Senator Nelson's ammendment to the 2006 NDAA which would have permitted the reliefs described in the preceeding paragraph. This amendment was specifically rejected by the House and was deleted from the legislation which was signed into law on January 6, 2006, as PL 109-163.
I very strongly urge your support to have the effect of Senator Nelson's amendment to become an integral part of the 2007 NDAA.
The original legislation that fixed the "paid in full" status for SBP premiums for those aged at least 70 years and who have paid at least 360 months (30 years) will be effective October 1, 2008. This means that those who enrolled at first opportunity will have made not 360 payments, rather they will have made 432 payments or 72 payments (20%) excess to that required by current law (save for the tardy effective date). Let's stop this statutory depriviation of military retirement pay to these suffering military retirees.
S185 would prohibit the (1) payment of retroactive benefits and (2) recovery of military retired pay amounts previously refunded to SBP participants. So be it.
HR968 would do exactly one thing: HR 968 would amend title 10 US Code Section 1452(j) to change the effective date for a fully paid up military survivor's benefit annuity from October 1, 2008 to October 1, 2005. So be it.
The 2004 NDAA repealed the military SBP Social Security Offset at age 62 in 5% increments over a 3.5 year phase-in beginning April 2004 but did nothing for the survivors (victims) of the VA DIC offset heaped upon the survivors of those retired military career veterans who unfortunately die of service-connected causes. S185/HR808 would repeal this offset. So be it. It is the right thing to do.
I urge your active support to have these SBP issues corrected with the 2007 NDAA.
Please advise me a statement of your intentions regarding is very important legislation. This is not a budget issue, it is a moral obligation.