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This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to regularly check whether the current automatic maximum life insurance coverage for service members and veterans still keeps up with inflation. Starting in 2026, and then every five years after that, VA would review the coverage amount and report the results to Congress. The review is meant to help guide possible future increases in coverage so the insurance amount does not fall behind the cost of living.
- The review would apply to both Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance and Veterans’ Group Life Insurance.
- VA would first do this review on January 1, 2026, and then repeat it every five years.
- In the review, VA would compare the current automatic maximum coverage to a target amount based on $500,000 adjusted by the average change in the Consumer Price Index over the previous five fiscal years.
- VA would send the results to the House and Senate committees that handle veterans’ affairs.
Official Summaries
Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to periodically review and report on the maximum coverage available under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance and Veterans' Group Life Insurance programs. Specifically, the VA must review such coverage amount every five years, taking into account the average percentage by which the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased in the five fiscal years preceding the review.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 385 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 385
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 4, 2025
Mr. Cornyn (for himself, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Cruz, and Mr. King) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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.
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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