MS HC49

Acknowledges the pain and suffering of spouses of military service members who died from service-connected causes and recognizes the need for fair treatment in spousal benefits determination.

States that military widows and widowers are being unfairly deprived of monetary benefits earned by deceased spouses through deduction of Veterans Administration Dependency Indemnity Compensation from Survivors' Benefits.

Notes that similar deductions do not apply to veterans or military retirees employed as federal civil servants who die of service-connected causes.

References the Federal Court of Appeals' affirmation in Sharp v. United States that directed the Department of Defense to pay full Survivor Benefit Plan annuities to widows and widowers who remarry at or after age 57, while over 53,000 military widows and widowers remain subject to the offset.

Requests the President of the United States and Congress to address and immediately rectify the injustices of this offset imposed only on military widows and widowers.