Members of MOAA’s Government Relations team joined the annual advocacy push from a leading survivors group the last week of September, marking Gold Star Families Remembrance Week by supporting programs designed to help families of the fallen receive the benefits they deserve.

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) brought more than 100 surviving family members to Capitol Hill to advocate for three key issues, all of which have been and remain MOAA priorities:

• Support for Remarried Spouses. The Love Lives On Act allows survivors to keep Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits after remarrying at any age. Under current law, they lose such benefits if they remarry before age 55. You can ask your lawmakers to support this legislation by sending a message via MOAA’s Legislative Action Center.
  
  
• Fair Survivor Compensation. The DIC benefit has seen limited adjustment in the 30 years since becoming law. It now trails similar federal benefits by 12%. The Caring for Survivors Act would bring it in line with these benefits, as well as provide the benefit to more survivors of veterans who were totally disabled by a service-connected injury or disease but died from other causes. (Learn More From MOAA | Write Your Lawmakers)
  
  
• Help for Young Family Members. Both TRICARE and the VA’s health program for surviving dependents – the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, or CHAMPVA – lag behind civilian insurance plans in the coverage of young adult dependents. The Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act would allow dependents under 26 to remain under their parents’ TRICARE plan without a separate premium, and the CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act provides a similar extension under that program for children and survivors of disabled veterans. (TAKE ACTION: TRICARE Young Adult Coverage | CHAMPVA Coverage)

“MOAA recognizes the service and sacrifice of our nation's surviving spouses,” said Jen Goodale, MOAA’s director of Government Relations for military family policy and spouse programs. “It is a privilege to join TAPS on the Hill for a day of advocacy to advance these critical issues.”

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), third from left, poses with military survivor advocates including Jen Goodale, MOAA's director of Government Relations for military family policy and spouse programs (fourth from right), during a Sept. 27 meeting on Capitol Hill. (Courtesy Photo)

MOAA appreciates the opportunity to partner with TAPS on these issues of critical importance to the military community. Please take this opportunity to engage with your lawmakers via the links above and make sure they appreciate the need to provide these and other benefits to survivors as part of our nation’s commitment to fallen heroes.

Keep up with these and other MOAA advocacy priorities at MOAA’s Advocacy News page, and tune in weekly to The MOAA Advocacy Update.