Kerry Proposes Two Key Amendments Today for Military Family Bill of Rights

[kerrygoddess]

The Senate will vote this week on the defense supplemental bill. Today, John Kerry proposed two key amendments to this bill. I posted earlier about Kerry’s email today asking military families to speak out about their struggles. In proposing these amendments, Kerry continues his fight for “a comprehensive Military Family Bill of Rights.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- April 12, 2005

John Kerry Fights to Add Troop Benefits to Supplemental

Kerry's Amendments Would Increase Death Benefit; Extend Housing for Survivors

One amendment would allow military families to stay in military housing for a full year after the death of a spouse. The other would enable all military families to receive $500,000 in total death benefits when a loved one dies in service to America .

"Supporting the troops means paying attention to their needs both in the field and at home. It means understanding their lives both as warriors fighting for our nation, and as husbands and wives, parents, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters struggling to take care of their families," said John Kerry.

"Investing in military families isn't just an act of compassion -- it's a smart investment in America 's military. Good commanders know that you recruit an individual soldier or Marine, but you retain a family. We have to keep faith with our military families if we are going to keep the experienced, enlisted leaders who are the backbone of our armed forces," Kerry said.

Increase Survivors' Death Benefit

Families of those killed in action currently receive $12,420 to supplement whatever insurance they may have purchased. More than a year ago, Senator Kerry proposed increasing the benefits paid to surviving military families to $500,000 through existing insurance benefits and an increase in the death gratuity.

The Administration recently proposed a formula to reach $500,000, but would limit the $100,000 death gratuity portion of it to only those who die in a designated combat zone. Kerry's amendment would provide the increased death gratuity to any service member who loses their life while on active duty, regardless of where they fall.

"We do right by our fallen police officers and firefighters, whose families receive $275,000, and it's time we did the same for our soldiers. No one can ever put a price on a lost loved one, but we should do everything we can to help families put their lives back together," said Kerry.

Flexibility in Military Family Housing

Currently, survivors of those killed in action must move out of military housing in 180 days. For those with young children, that can mean starting a school year in one state and finishing it in another. Kerry's amendment would give survivors the option to keep their military housing and housing allowance for a full year.

"We need a comprehensive Military Family Bill of Rights that puts action behind the promise to support our troops. These amendments are a good start," Kerry added.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=708

[blm]

1. Kerry has proposed a bill of rights for military for some years, now.

The Republicans would always shoot it down. They may be too nervous to shoot it down again.

The time may be right for this as long as Kerry, Clark and Pelosi can keep it in the news. Best of luck on this, Dems.

[kerrygoddess]

2. Team work!

That's what we like!

[Mass]

4. I doubt that

The Republicans are arguying that no money is needed for the VA right now and that Patty Murray's amendment to the supplemental 2005 is not an emergency.

[kerrygoddess]

8. Well a little is better than none...

:kick:

[Career Prole]

3. Repukes offer counter-proposal! Tax credits for every

"We Support The Troops" magnetic ribbon you purchase for your SUV (after the first 25)!
:sarcasm:

[kerrygoddess]

5. Ha ha! LOL!

:kick:

[Dr Fate]

6. Despite Swiftboat lies- a real soldier apparently never forgets.

While Bush would have them twisting in the wind.

[kerrygoddess]

7. Exactly! N/T

[sandnsea]

9. Everybody matters

The troops in the field can't do their job without a large support system. It shouldn't matter if a troop dies getting others ready to go to war, or in the war. Every troop is important. People who have actually been in the military understand that.

[kerrygoddess]

10. Yes everybody matters.

Kerry gets that. Their families mater too. That's one thing Kerry is always consistent on. That's part of our "values". Everybody matters.

[kerrygoddess]

11. Boston Globe story:

From LUTD...

Kerry Presses for Initiatives Proposed During Campaign
13 April 2005

The Boston Globe is reporting today on Kerry’s Military Family Bill of Rights, which he initially proposed over a year ago during his campaign. The Military Family Bill of Rights “would ensure that all military families are eligible for increased survivor benefits and can remain in military housing for up to a year after a loved one is killed in the line of duty.”

As the Democratic nominee he called for a Military Family Bill of Rights and other proposals to provide servicemen and women with financial, health, and other benefits he said they are being denied.

''This is the beginning of a larger effort to do right by our military families," Kerry told the Globe in an interview, adding that he plans to offer a full package of new benefits for troops and their families in a separate bill later this year.

{snip}
The Boston Globe article also mentions the Pelosi ''GI Bill of Rights for the 21st century” introduced yesterday in the House. Pelosi received some support for creating this bill from former Democratic candidate Wesley Clark.

The Pelosi “GI Bill of Rights” is similar to Kerry’s initiative in the Senate. Pelosi’s bill would also seek to “increase death benefits for military families, while providing better healthcare for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.”

{snip}
Kerry’s proposed bill, which already has support from senior military officers and some Republicans, “would provide increased death benefits to the families of all troops killed while on active duty, not just those who lose their lives in a designated combat zone.”

"We do right by our fallen police officers and firefighters, whose families receive $275,000, and it's time we did the same for our soldiers," Kerry told his colleagues. ''No one can ever put a price on a lost loved one, but we should do everything we can to help families put their lives back together.''

Last year Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran, first proposed increasing death payments from the current $12,420 to $500,000 through insurance benefits and a ''death gratuity." President Bush has embraced the proposal, but would restrict the $100,000 death gratuity to those who die in a designated combat zone. Kerry's amendment would provide the increased death gratuity for any service member who loses his or her life. (See "The President’s Proposal?)

MORE & LINKS - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=711

[kerrygoddess]

12. Senate Passes Two John Kerry Amendments for Troops

Senate Passes Two John Kerry Amendments for Troops
13 April 2005

“Thanks to you, today we proved that when we work together and hold leaders accountable, we can make Washington work for the military families who sacrifice for our freedom. I'm proud to tell you that this afternoon the Senate passed two amendments from my Military Family Bill of Rights to help the families of America ’s troops.”

Washington, D.C. -- The Senate today passed two amendments authored by John Kerry from his Military Family Bill of Rights to help the families of America’s troops. One amendment will allow families to stay in military housing for a full year after the death of a spouse. The other will enable all military families to receive $500,000 in total death benefits when a loved one dies in service to America.

After introducing his amendments yesterday and emailing military families across the country, John Kerry's office was flooded with more than 2,200 e-mails from troops and their families with their personal stories about the need for these common-sense changes. To make the case for his Military Family Bill of Rights amendments and push the Senate to act, John Kerry read some of their personal stories on the Senate floor.

More & Links - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=715