Statement About a Bill Providing Better Survivor Benefits for Dependents of Military Retirees

IT IS too often overlooked that America's military families serve our country in as real a way as do the men and women in uniform--they share the sacrifices and the hardships of duty, as well as its satisfactions and glory. The Nation's true and just obligation to those who bear arms in its defense remains as Lincoln defined it: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan."

H.R. 10670, which I have signed, will enable us to meet this standard more fully by establishing a much improved system of survivors benefits for the wives and children of military retirees.

Flowing from the recommendation of an interagency committee I established in 1971, this new law will permit military retirees-at a reasonable cost shared by the Federal Government--to provide better benefits for their survivors. The benefits will range up to 55 percent of the member's retired pay to a surviving spouse and will include benefits for dependent children. The payments will be adjusted according to the Consumer Price Index so that their purchasing power will be steadily maintained.

This will replace a present survivors benefit system offering lesser benefits at a cost which must be borne entirely by each individual retiree.

Many times in the past, men who have devoted their lifetimes to careers in the uniformed services have died soon after their retirement, without having either enjoyed their earned retirement themselves or being able to pass a significant portion of that earned right on to their surviving families.

To help remedy the hardships caused in the past by this deficiency in the retirement system, this legislation also permits those who have already retired from the service to elect to participate in this program and provide coverage for their survivors.

Nine hundred thousand persons now retired--as well as all those who retire from armed services careers from now on--will be eligible to participate in this program. The extra security and peace of mind which it will afford them and their loyal, self-sacrificing families, at the end of a job well done, are richly earned. I am most gratified to be able to approve this legislation.