Washington, D.C. (October 06, 2004) - Congressman Jeff Miller (R-Fl-01), the sponsor of the plan to end the tax on veterans’ spouses, today urged the conference to support the House-passed plan to provide relief to military survivors.
The provision to end the widow's tax, also known as the Survivor Benefits Plan (SBP), is part of the House-passed 2005 Defense Authorization Bill. Miller offered the SBP Improvement Act as an amendment to the Authorization Bill in May.
Today, Miller was joined by 208 colleagues to urge the conference to retain the House provision. The House bill provides faster relief to military survivors than a 10-year phase-out in the Senate bill. The House bill phases out the annuity reduction over three-and-a-half years, and features a one-year open season for new enrollees.
“This benefit to military spouses isn’t what Congress intended or what enrollees were promised. The program isn’t providing the level of protection military survivors need and deserve,” Miller said. “Military survivors lose one-third of their Survivor Benefit Plan annuities at age 62. It isn’t the plan Congress intended.”
The House bill (Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 4200) passed 391-34 in May. Miller has already worked extensively on this bill, as the only Republican member of Florida’s Congressional delegation who serves on an Armed Services committee with jurisdiction over the military.
The bill improves the Survivor Benefits Plan (SBP) with a benefit increase that eliminates the Social Security offset by increasing the annuities paid to survivors of military retirees who are 62 or older.
“This letter sends a clear message to the career servicemen and women who provide our national defense today: we are a grateful nation and this Congress is making good on its promises to our armed forces, added Miller. “This battle has been hard fought, and its victory will be shared by so many whose efforts have been tireless and unrelenting. I am indebted to my colleagues who have stood by me on this important issue.”
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