[109th Congress Public Law 80]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[DOCID: f:publ080.109]
[[Page 119 STAT. 2045]]
Public Law 109-80
109th Congress
An Act
To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the Servicemembers'
Group Life Insurance program, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Sept. 30,
2005 - [H.R. 3200]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress <<NOTE: Servicemembers' Group Life
Insurance Enhancement Act of 2005. 38 USC 101 note.>> assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance
Enhancement Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 38 USC 1967 note. Effective
date. Applicability.>> REPEALER.
Effective as of August 31, 2005, section 1012 of division A of the
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on
Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005 (Public Law 109-13; 119 Stat. 244),
including the amendments made by that section, are repealed, and
sections 1967, 1969, 1970, and 1977 of title 38, United States Code,
shall be applied as if that section had not been enacted.
SEC. 3. INCREASE FROM $250,000 TO $400,000 IN AUTOMATIC MAXIMUM COVERAGE
UNDER SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE AND VETERANS'
GROUP LIFE INSURANCE.
(a) Maximum Under SGLI.--Section 1967 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(i), by striking ``$250,000'' and
inserting ``$400,000''; and
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ``of $250,000'' and
inserting ``in effect under paragraph (3)(A)(i) of that
subsection''.
(b) Maximum Under VGLI.--Section 1977(a) of such title is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``in excess of $250,000 at
any one time'' and inserting ``at any one time in excess of the
maximum amount for Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance in
effect under section 1967(a)(3)(A)(i) of this title''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``for less than $250,000 under
Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance'' and inserting
``under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance for less
than the maximum amount for such insurance in effect
under section 1967(a)(3)(A)(i) of this title''; and
(B) by striking ``does not exceed $250,000'' and
inserting ``does not exceed such maximum amount in
effect under such section''.
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(c) Effective Date.--The <<NOTE: 38 USC 1967 note.>> amendments made
by this section shall take effect as of September 1, 2005, and shall
apply with respect to deaths occurring on or after that date.
SEC. 4. <<NOTE: 38 USC 1967 note.>> SPOUSAL NOTIFICATIONS RELATING TO
SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAM.
Effective as of <<NOTE: Effective date.>> September 1, 2005, section
1967 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
``(f)(1) If a member who is married and who is eligible for
insurance under this section makes an election under subsection
(a)(2)(A) not to be insured under this subchapter, the Secretary
concerned shall notify the member's spouse, in writing, of that
election.
``(2) In the case of a member who is married and who is insured
under this section and whose spouse is designated as a beneficiary of
the member under this subchapter, whenever the member makes an election
under subsection (a)(3)(B) for insurance of the member in an amount that
is less than the maximum amount provided under subsection (a)(3)(A)(i),
the Secretary concerned shall notify the member's spouse, in writing, of
that election--
``(A) in the case of the first such election; and
``(B) in the case of any subsequent such election if the
effect of such election is to reduce the amount of insurance
coverage of the member from that in effect immediately before
such election.
``(3) In the case of a member who is married and who is insured
under this section, if the member makes a designation under section
1970(a) of this title of any person other than the spouse or a child of
the member as the beneficiary of the member for any amount of insurance
under this subchapter, the Secretary concerned shall notify the member's
spouse, in writing, that such a beneficiary designation has been made by
the member, except that such a notification is not required if the
spouse has previously received such a notification under this paragraph
and if immediately before the new designation by the member under
section 1970(a) of this title the spouse is not a designated beneficiary
of the member for any amount of insurance under this subchapter.
``(4) A notification required by this subsection is satisfied by a
good faith effort to provide the required information to the spouse at
the last address of the spouse in the records of the Secretary
concerned. Failure to provide a notification required under this
subsection in a timely manner does not affect the validity of any
election specified in paragraph (1) or (2) or beneficiary designation
specified in paragraph (3).''.
SEC. 5. INCREMENTS OF INSURANCE THAT MAY BE ELECTED.
(a) Increase in Increment Amount.--Subsection (a)(3)(B) of section
1967 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``member or
spouse'' in the last sentence and inserting ``member, be evenly
divisible by $50,000 and, in the case of a member's spouse,''.
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(b) Effective Date.--The <<NOTE: 38 USC 1967 note.>> amendment made
by subsection (a) shall take effect as of September 1, 2005.
Approved September 30, 2005.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 3200:
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 109-177 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 151 (2005):
July 26, considered and passed House.
Sept. 27, considered and passed Senate, amended.
Sept. 28, House concurred in Senate amendment.
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