I am proud to speak in support of this bipartisan bill that contains the priorities of both parties. And while it wasn't unanimous, it does nothing to change our responsibilities to give military members and families bipartisan support. We did that in the Military Personnel Subcommittee, and I thank Ranking Member Kelly for his work. This bill contains two landmark achievements for our servicemembers and their families. It institutes a comprehensive fix to the festering problem of the so-called widow's tax, ensuring that surviving widows or widowers won't have their DOD and VA benefits offset. I was once a widow. I know the pain and the emptiness. We must take care of the spouses who sacrifice so much for our Nation. This bill rectifies a grievous denial of rights to servicemembers who are victims of malpractice at military medical facilities by allowing Active-Duty servicemembers to sue the Department for malpractice. For more than a half century, those who put their lives on the line have had fewer legal rights to sue for malpractice than prisoners in Federal prisons. This bill moves the ball forward on other personnel priorities by funding a 3.1 percent pay raise; shortening childcare backlogs; improving sexual assault prevention and response, including at the service academies; promoting spousal employment; creating a housing ombudsman; and giving TRICARE beneficiaries the same contraception coverage benefits as all other Americans.…
Share & report
More from Jackie Speier
I believe I am the only Member of this House that is a victim of gun violence. My body is riddled with bullets. I have a divot in my leg that is the size of a football. I have skin grafts on all parts of my body. I live with that every…
I have an amendment at the desk. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 1348, insert after line 23 the following (and conform the table of contents accordingly): SEC…
I thank the gentlewoman for her service then and for her service now. Her comments about young servicewomen just out of high school or college, who find themselves pregnant and seek an abortion, reminds me of a story that I heard at a base…
I think I have said enough, and I will close. I ask for a ``yes'' vote. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.





