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Cornyn Backs Debt Forgiveness Bill For Fallen Troops
Legislation would change callous law requiring the VA to mail debt collection letters to families of fallen troops
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today co-sponsored the Combat Veterans Debt Elimination Act (S. 2536) to forgive all debts owed to the VA by men and women who have lost their lives in combat. The legislation, introduced today by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, would change Title 38 of the U.S. Code, which currently requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to collect outstanding debts from the families of fallen servicemen and women.
“I commend Senator Hutchison for introducing this legislation and I am proud to be an original co-sponsor. It’s a disservice to our men and women in uniform that this outdated and callous law has not been changed sooner,” Sen. Cornyn said. “Our fallen troops and their families deserve nothing less than our utmost gratitude and respect. The current law is unacceptable. I hope my colleagues in the Senate will move quickly to pass this legislation and amend the law so no more families of fallen troops will be further burdened by debt collection letters.”
According to current law, the Secretary of the VA is required to contact the family of a fallen member of the Armed Forces, if that member owes the VA any outstanding indebtedness. The Combat Veterans Debt Elimination Act would relieve grieving families from paying such debt and remove the provision in law which requires the VA to seek the collection of such debt. It is retroactive to September 11, 2001.
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