Fairness for Servicemembers and Their Families Act of 2025
Floor Speech
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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 970) to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to periodically review the automatic maximum coverage under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program and the Veterans' Group Life Insurance program, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 970
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. PERIODIC REVIEW OF AUTOMATIC MAXIMUM COVERAGE UNDER SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE AND VETERANS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE.
(a) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 19 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``Sec. 1980B. Periodic review of automatic maximum coverage
``(a) In General.--On January 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the Secretary shall--
``(1) complete a review of how the amount specified in section 1967(a)(3)(A)(i) compares to the amount described in subsection (b); and
``(2) submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate the results of the review, which may serve as a guide for coverage increases within the existing administrative incremental structure.
``(b) Amount Described.--The amount described in this subsection is the amount equal to--
``(1) $500,000; multiplied by
``(2) the average percentage by which the Consumer Price Index changed during the five fiscal years preceding the review under subsection (a).
``(c) Consumer Price Index Defined.--In this section, the term `Consumer Price Index' means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 19 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1980A the following new item: ``1980B. Periodic review of automatic maximum coverage.''.
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Mr. BOST. 970.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 970 offered by my colleague from Washington (Ms. Strickland).
H.R. 970 would require the VA to regularly review and compare the maximum coverage for VA life insurance programs to keep them in line with the average cost-of-living changes.
The maximum coverage of these programs is provided by law and under current law does not automatically adjust for changes in cost of living. Any increases in the maximum coverage for these programs require congressional action.
We must ensure that we have all the data we need to make an informed decision on whether the maximum coverage has kept pace with the cost of living. The bill would help us do that by ensuring that the VA sends Congress the results of the VA review so that we can decide whether to adjust the maximum coverage for VA life insurance programs.
We are duty bound to ensure that the families of our veterans are taken care of after their loved one passes away. This commonsense bill would provide us with the data to help Congress do just that.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 970, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 970, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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