UPDATE: CONGRESSMAN BISHOP WORKS TO REINSTATE SURVIVOR BENEFITS FOR FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS’ FAMILIES
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Co-Chair of the Congressional Military Family Caucus, took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to uphold the government’s obligation to military families who have lost a loved one in service to our nation. Congressman Bishop joined a bipartisan group of fourteen Republicans and Democrats as an original co-sponsor of H.J. Resolution 91, a bill to amend the Pay Our Military Act by allowing the Department of Defense to disburse the standard survivor benefits to families of fallen service members, despite the government shutdown. H.J. Resolution 91 passed 425 to 0.
“Imagine the pain these families are going through, coping with the death of their loved one. Now imagine being greeted with the cold shoulder of a shuttered government. Their country turning on them, all because of an unnecessary shutdown,” said Congressman Bishop. “This is not minimal. These are our sons and daughters we have sent to combat in faraway lands and they should never have to question our nation’s resolve in taking care of their families. We must reopen our government so that such inconveniences do not continue to plague our nation.”
To view Congressman Bishop’s full remarks, please click here.
On Sunday, our nation lost four brave service members in an improvised bomb attack in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Shortly after they were killed, their families were notified that the standard survivor benefits could not be paid due to the government shutdown.
Yesterday, Congressman Bishop co-sponsored a similar bill, the Fallen Heroes and Families Assistance Act. To read more, please click here.
Congressman Bishop also released a statement regarding the news of the deaths of 1st Lt. Jennifer M. Moreno, Sgt. Patrick C. Hawkins, Sgt. Joseph M. Peters, and Pfc. Cody J. Patterson, killed in an improvised bomb attack in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Sgt. Hawkins and Pfc Patterson were both assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, GA. To read the statement, please click here.