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Politics Stalls Defense Authorization Bill As we go to press, Congress has not completed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2006 (NDAA06). The delay in finishing work on the bill before they started their August recess may result in a delay in completing the Defense Appropriations Bill as well. Legislators prefer to finish the authorization bills before final action on the funding or appropriations bills. However, this is not always the case, and with the fiscal year ending on 30 September, there is not much time left to do it all in an orderly fashion. Just last year the Defense Appropriations Bill was completed before the 05 authorization bill. In addition to the authorization and appropriations process, this year Congress has the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission recommendations and the Supreme Court nomination to deal with, so it will be a very busy fall session and will probably continue well past the end of the fiscal year. If the Congress does not pass the Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2006 before 30 September 2005, they will have to enact a continuing resolution to provide funding until it is passed. There are several provisions in the NDAA06 of interest to retirees and there are three controversial amendments pending that AMS and the other military associations are supporting. The amendments we are supporting include one proposed by Senator Bill Nelson ( D-FL) , to provide for a paid up SBP (Survivor benefit Plan) premium for military retirees who are 70 years old or older and have paid into the SBP program for 30 years or more. Currently, the paid up SBP provision will take effect in 2008. This proposal will make it effective this year. In addition, the Nelson amendment includes a provision that would end the SBP/DIC (Dependency and Indemnity Compensation) offset. Currently, when a military retired veteran dies of a service connected disability, the SBP benefit payment is offset dollar-for-dollar by the amount of the DIC payment to the surviving spouse. This amendment would end that unjust provision. This amendment is pending and is expected to be offered when the NDAA06 comes to the floor. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has proposed an amendment to provide for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and disability compensation for retired veterans who are rated 100% for Individual Unemployability. Currently, individuals qualify for Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) based on being 100% disabled even if the 100% is based on Individual Unemployability. However, those paid under the Combat Related Disability Payment (CRDP) program do not qualify if the 100% is for Individual Unemployability. Senator Reid's amendment would correct this and is now pending. Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC), has offered an amendment to expand the TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) program to all members of the Selected Reserve and National Guard. The TRS program is fee based, requiring payment of premiums by the beneficiaries and would provide a much needed benefit for the nation's reserve forces who are bearing much of the burden of the war on terror in the United States, Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently, there is a TRS program but it is available only to those who have been mobilized and there are several other restrictive provisions which this amendment would resolve. Senator Graham's amendment has been adopted as part of the Senate version of the NDAA06. |
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