Rep. Jones Seeks To Provide Relief To Survivors Of Military Retirees

Third District Congressman and senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Walter B. Jones, last week introduced the Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act. This legislation is a simple provision aimed to provide a small amount of relief to surviving beneficiaries of military retirees. Federal regulations require the Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) to terminate payment of the retired pay upon notification of the retiree's death. Once the surviving spouse or beneficiary notifies the finance center, DFAS then electronically withdraws the entirety of the last payment from the deceased retiree's checking account. Then several weeks later, the retiree's beneficiary will receive a check in the mail containing a pro-rated portion of the military pay for the days for which the retiree was still living. "The current process rightfully and sensibly seeks to only pay military retirees for when they are alive, but it can and often does have an adverse impact on the retiree's beneficiary. Many of these surviving spouses or caregivers are living on fixed incomes. When the retirement pay is deposited, they use those funds to pay things like rent, medical expenses, or other living expenses," Congressman said upon introduction of the bill. "Automatically withdrawing those funds can inadvertently cause rent checks to bounce and place great additional financial strain on a beneficiary when they are already faced with great loss and the prospect of additional costs associated with the military retiree's death." "While we often take great pride in the service of our men and women in uniform, many times we fail to give proper recognition to the immense sacrifices military families as a whole make. In many respects, a military spouse has provided equal service and sacrifices as the military members themselves. While they may not face the perils of combat, they often raise families alone, endure long separations, and provide a mutual safety net for other military families," Congressman Jones added. "This legislation seeks to recognize that sacrifice by forgiving the overpayment made to the surviving beneficiary if that beneficiary has a joint bank account with the military retiree. In order to offset some of the minimal cost, the recipient receiving the overpayment would forgo the first month of Survivor Benefit Plan payments. The individual amounts will be small, but they will provide great comfort to those who are already losing much." Congressman Jones is honored to have the support of the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), a nonprofit organization comprised of approximately 151,000 enlisted personnel (active duty, reserve, and retired) of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. "The FRA salutes Congressman Jones for his continuing leadership on this very important issue," said FRA National Executive Secretary Joe Barnes. "FRA believes his legislation relieves a financial burden during what is unquestionably a very difficult time for surviving spouses and is an expression of appreciation for the years of sacrifice unselfishly given to the Nation and its citizens." For additional information or to schedule an interview with Congressman Jones contact Lanier Swann at (202) 225-3415 or via email at lanier.swann@mail.house.gov.