S 1916 · 108th Congress 2003–2005, ended

Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 2003

Introduced Nov 21, 2003 Originated Senate Sponsor Mary L. Landrieu D-LA

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · Nov 21, 2003 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedNov 21, 2003
  2. Passed SenateNot reached
  3. Passed HouseNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 2003 - Adjusts the basic Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity amount for surviving spouses, age 62 and older, of former military personnel to: (1) 35 percent of the retired pay of the decedent (current law), for months before October 2005; (2) 40 percent for months beginning after September 2005 and before October 2008; (3) 45 percent for months beginning after September 2008 through September 2014; and (4) 55 percent for months after September 2014. Adjusts similarly percentage amounts with respect to survivors of reserve personnel and survivors of persons who die while on active duty. Provides a corresponding phased elimination of the SBP supplemental annuity authorized to be provided to such surviving spouses. Requires periodic recomputation of: (1) annuity amounts beginning in October 2005; and (2) retired pay reductions for supplemental survivor annuities.

Provides a one-year open enrollment period for SBP participation, commencing October 1, 2005, for those currently not participating, those electing to increase current coverage, and those wishing to participate in the supplemental SBP.

Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to require appropriate premiums for SBP participation.

Cosponsors 22

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 26, 2004 to Jun 17, 2004.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-NVHarry ReidJan 26, 2004
D-MAJohn F. KerryFeb 9, 2004
D-WAPatty MurrayFeb 23, 2004
D-CABarbara BoxerFeb 24, 2004
D-NYHillary Rodham ClintonFeb 24, 2004
D-NJJon S. CorzineFeb 24, 2004
D-SDThomas A. DaschleFeb 24, 2004
D-SDTim JohnsonFeb 24, 2004
D-MNMark DaytonMar 1, 2004
D-NYCharles E. SchumerMar 9, 2004
D-HIDaniel K. InouyeMar 9, 2004
D-NJFrank R. LautenbergMar 9, 2004
D-VTPatrick J. LeahyMar 10, 2004
D-MDBarbara A. MikulskiMar 11, 2004
R-NEChuck HagelMar 11, 2004
D-CADianne FeinsteinMar 30, 2004
R-VTJames M. JeffordsMar 30, 2004
R-NHJohn E. SununuApr 8, 2004
I-CTJoseph I. LiebermanApr 8, 2004
D-MIDebbie StabenowApr 21, 2004
R-MOChristopher S. BondMay 18, 2004
D-ARMark L. PryorJun 17, 2004

Committees 1

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
SenateArmed Services Committee
Referred Nov 21, 2003

Actions 2

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Nov 21, 2003Introduced in Senate
  2. Nov 21, 2003Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

In the Congressional Record 1

Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.

WhereIn the RecordMembersDate
SenateDebate and remarks S2538Daniel K. Inouye D-HIMar 10, 2004

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Printed hearings 4

Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.

NumberHearingCommitteeHeld
S. Hrg. 108-676DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005148 pagesAppropriations CommitteeMay 5, 2004
Serial No. 108-22MEMBERS' DAY113 pagesBudget CommitteeMar 3, 2004
S. Hrg. 108-440DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION FOR APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005521 pagesArmed Services CommitteeMar 2, 2004–Mar 31, 2004
S. Hrg. 108-676DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005691 pagesAppropriations CommitteeMar 1, 2004–May 12, 2004

Related bills 2

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
S 451Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 2003Related billFeb 26, 2003
HR 548Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 2003Related billFeb 28, 2003

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to increase the minimum Survivor Benefit Plan basic annuity for surviving spouses age 62 and older, to provide for a one-year open season under that plan, and for other purposes.
Short Titles as Introduced
Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 2003

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Nov 21, 2003Introduced in Senate

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.