Kerry Presses for Initiatives Proposed During Campaign

[kerrygoddess]

The Boston Globe has an article today that points out that Kerry's "Military Family Bill of Rights" introduced yesterday was one of the many issues he campaigned on last year.

The article also points out similarities between Kerry's "Military Family Bill of Rights" and the legislation introduced in the House yesterday by Nancy Pelosi with the support of Wesley Clark.

I hope to see democratic activists getting behind both of these worthy initiatives.

From LUTD...

Kerry Presses for Initiatives Proposed During Campaign
13 April 2005

The Boston Globe is reporting today on Kerry’s Military Family Bill of Rights, which he initially proposed over a year ago during his campaign. The Military Family Bill of Rights “would ensure that all military families are eligible for increased survivor benefits and can remain in military housing for up to a year after a loved one is killed in the line of duty.”

As the Democratic nominee he called for a Military Family Bill of Rights and other proposals to provide servicemen and women with financial, health, and other benefits he said they are being denied.

''This is the beginning of a larger effort to do right by our military families," Kerry told the Globe in an interview, adding that he plans to offer a full package of new benefits for troops and their families in a separate bill later this year.

{snip}
The Boston Globe article also mentions the Pelosi ''GI Bill of Rights for the 21st century” introduced yesterday in the House. Pelosi received some support for creating this bill from former Democratic candidate Wesley Clark.

The Pelosi “GI Bill of Rights” is similar to Kerry’s initiative in the Senate. Pelosi’s bill would also seek to “increase death benefits for military families, while providing better healthcare for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.”

{snip}
Kerry’s proposed bill, which already has support from senior military officers and some Republicans, “would provide increased death benefits to the families of all troops killed while on active duty, not just those who lose their lives in a designated combat zone.”

"We do right by our fallen police officers and firefighters, whose families receive $275,000, and it's time we did the same for our soldiers," Kerry told his colleagues. ''No one can ever put a price on a lost loved one, but we should do everything we can to help families put their lives back together.''

Last year Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran, first proposed increasing death payments from the current $12,420 to $500,000 through insurance benefits and a ''death gratuity." President Bush has embraced the proposal, but would restrict the $100,000 death gratuity to those who die in a designated combat zone. Kerry's amendment would provide the increased death gratuity for any service member who loses his or her life. (See "The President’s Proposal?)

MORE & LINKS - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=711

[kerrygoddess]

1. Military Family Bill of Rights Ammendments Pass in Senate

Senate Passes Two John Kerry Amendments for Troops
13 April 2005

Make no doubt about it, the Shadow President is hard at work in Washington. Today the Senate passed two amendments from Kerry’s “Military Family Bill of Rights.”

“Thanks to you, today we proved that when we work together and hold leaders accountable, we can make Washington work for the military families who sacrifice for our freedom. I'm proud to tell you that this afternoon the Senate passed two amendments from my Military Family Bill of Rights to help the families of America ’s troops.”

Washington, D.C. -- The Senate today passed two amendments authored by John Kerry from his Military Family Bill of Rights to help the families of America’s troops. One amendment will allow families to stay in military housing for a full year after the death of a spouse. The other will enable all military families to receive $500,000 in total death benefits when a loved one dies in service to America.

After introducing his amendments yesterday and emailing military families across the country, John Kerry's office was flooded with more than 2,200 e-mails from troops and their families with their personal stories about the need for these common-sense changes. To make the case for his Military Family Bill of Rights amendments and push the Senate to act, John Kerry read some of their personal stories on the Senate floor.

More & Links - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=715

[sandnsea]

2. Family's Stories

These just broke my heart.

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/headlines/4-13-05.pdf

[kerrygoddess]

3. Mine too...