|
Rep. Yarmuth Leads Bipartisan Group of 177 Members Supporting Repeal of So-Called "Widow's Tax" September 17, 2019
WASHINGTON– Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3), Chairman of the House Budget Committee, led a bipartisan letter signed by 177 members of the House of Representatives calling for an end the so-called “Widow’s Tax” on surviving military spouse benefits. The signers urge the respective Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to include the House-passed Yarmuth Amendment permanently repealing the offset as they begin their upcoming Conference on the National Defense Authorization Act. Yarmuth’s amendment corrected a provision in current law that unfairly requires surviving spouses of deceased military members to forfeit part or all of their Department of Defense Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity when they receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the Department of Veterans Affairs. There are an estimated 60,000 surviving families negatively impacted by the SBP-DIC offset, which reduces surviving spouses’ benefits by an average of $1,000 per month, or $11,000 annually. A copy of the letter can be found here, and text can be found below: September 17, 2019
The Honorable Adam Smith The Honorable Mac Thornberry Chairman Ranking Member Committee on Armed Services Committee on Armed Services 2216 Rayburn House Office Building 2216 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable James Inhofe The Honorable Jack Reed Chairman Ranking Member Committee on Armed Services Committee on Armed Services 228 Russell Senate Office Building 228 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Smith, Chairman Inhofe, Ranking Member Thornberry, and Ranking Member Reed, As you begin deliberations for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 conference, we respectfully request you keep the House-passed repeal of the Survivor Benefit Plan/Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (SBP/DIC) offset, also known as the “widow’s tax,” in the final agreement. Surviving families of the men and women of our military have been waiting for a fix to this unfair offset for 40 years. Current law unfairly requires surviving spouses of deceased military members to forfeit part or all of their Department of Defense Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity when they receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the Department of Veterans Affairs. More than 60,000 surviving families are negatively impacted by the SBP-DIC offset, which reduces surviving spouses’ benefits by an average of $924 per month, or $11,000 annually. The House-passed NDAA eliminated this unfair offset. It is clear that Congress understands the importance of this issue and the need to finally end the widow’s tax. The two pieces of legislation repealing this offset have a record number of bipartisan cosponsors. H.R. 553, The Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act currently has 372 cosponsors, and the companion legislation S. 622 has 75 cosponsors. Our nation made promises to the surviving spouses of fallen service members, and it is among our highest moral responsibilities to see those promises honored. For far too long, Congress has failed to do what's right and keep our word to our heroes and their families. Now is the time to repeal this offset once and for all, and send a clear message to those families that we value their sacrifice and we value the heroism of their loved ones. Thank you for your consideration of this request. We hope we can count on your support. Sincerely, John Yarmuth Lori Trahan C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger Donald S. Beyer, Jr. Val Demings Chris Pappas Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. Debbie Dingell TJ Cox Harley Rouda Eleanor Holmes Norton Ed Perlmutter Brian Higgins Steve Cohen Mike Thompson (CA) Gerald E. Connolly Jason Crow Mike Doyle Ruben Gallego Peter Welch Ann Kirkpatrick Terri A. Sewell Andy Kim Bobby L. Rush Anthony G. Brown Cynthia Axne Scott Peters Juan Vargas Scott DesJarlais, M.D. James P. McGovern Vicente Gonzalez Veronica Escobar Brian Fitzpatrick John Curtis Greg Stanton Deb Haaland Alan Lowenthal Jim Costa Peter A. DeFazio Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. Elaine G. Luria Kurt Schrader Roger Williams Tulsi Gabbard Mike Kelly Linda T. Sánchez Lisa Blunt Rochester Debbie Mucarsel-Powell G. K. Butterfield Ben Ray Luján Lucille Roybal-Allard Sean Patrick Maloney Alcee L. Hastings Jerrold Nadler Mark Takano Jerry McNerney Randy K. Weber Josh Harder Derek Kilmer Bonnie Watson Coleman David Trone Pete Olson Al Lawson Katie Hill Xochitl Torres Small Daniel W. Lipinski Haley M. Stevens Julia Brownley Jennifer Wexton Jeff Van Drew Raja Krishnamoorthi Bill Foster Diana DeGette Chellie Pingree Albio Sires Louie Gohmert Ted Budd Susan Wild Max Rose Cedric L. Richmond Sylvia R. Garcia Tom R. Suozzi Eddie Bernice Johnson Raúl M. Grijalva Jared Golden Steve Watkins Kelly Armstrong Dina Titus Ross Spano Rodney Davis Betty McCollum Buddy Carter Conor Lamb Joe Neguse Ron Wright Sharice L. Davids Dean Phillips Peter King Bill Pascrell, Jr. Colin Allred Joseph P. Kennedy, III Don Bacon Al Green Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. Bill Johnson Michael Cloud Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. Tom McClintock Gus Bilirakis Stephen F. Lynch Lee Zeldin Mark Green Doris O. Matsui Mike Levin Dan Crenshaw Salud Carbajal Lucy McBath Don Young Ted S. Yoho, DVM Emanuel Cleaver, II Danny K. Davis David N. Cicilline Jan Schakowsky Darren Soto Sean Casten Tom O'Halleran Greg Gianforte Suzan K. DelBene Ben McAdams Stephanie Murphy Kathy Castor Robert C. “Bobby” Scott Ro Khanna French Hill Angie Craig Jahana Hayes Dwight Evans Antonio Delgado Scott R. Tipton Henry Cuellar Rick Crawford Gregory W. Meeks Grace Meng Rashida Tlaib Mark Meadows Ralph Norman David B. McKinley, P.E. Alex X. Mooney Barry Loudermilk Steve King André Carson Joaquin Castro Mario Diaz-Balart Denver L. Riggleman, III Anna G. Eshoo A. Donald McEachin Mary Gay Scanlon Cheri Bustos Donna E. Shalala Dave Loebsack Jack Bergman Doug Lamborn Bill Flores Denny Heck Lloyd Doggett Jesús G. “Chuy” García Ann McLane Kuster Norma J. Torres Abigail D. Spanberger Pramila Jayapal Charlie Crist Brendan F. Boyle Brad Sherman Katie Porter Abby Finkenauer Elissa Slotkin Susie Lee
### |