Pete Sessions: “The act provides for retroactivity of the salary benefits. With regard to soldiers who lost their life in combat since…”

“The act provides for retroactivity of the salary benefits. With regard to soldiers who lost their life in combat since the beginning of the Afghan war or in terrorist acts, their families will receive 2-year's salary and benefits retroactive to the loss, as well as being a part of future benefits for those soldiers who lose their lives in the future. To reiterate, I ask my colleagues in the Senate to consider that we have before us an opportunity to correct what has been for many a longstanding inequity for our military, the paucity of our death benefits programs for our soldiers killed in combat. We began to make a difference when in the fiscal year 2004 Defense Authorization Act, this Senate offered and the Congress passed the provision to improve the death gratuity from $6,000 to $12,000. This was an important improvement, but more can be and needs to be done. To that end, I offer this amendment that begins the process of enhancing our death benefits program to bring it more in line with the significance I believe we all attach to the sacrifices made by our military and their families.”