Veterans' Benefits Amendments of 1996
Latest action. See S.1711.
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Insurance Reform Title II: Other Matters Veterans' Benefits Amendments of 1996 - Title I: Insurance Reform - Amends the Servicemen's Group Life Insurance (SGLI) Program to exclude from coverage under such Program members assigned or transferred to the Retired Reserve. Provides that, upon termination of active-duty service, a person's coverage under SGLI: (1) shall be automatically converted to Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI), subject to the payment of premiums and other applicable terms and conditions; or (2) shall, at the election of the member, be converted to an individual insurance policy with a participating private insurer selected by the member. Outlines VGLI coverage limits in the case of any person insured under VGLI who becomes insured under SGLI but dies before terminating or converting the VGLI coverage. Terminates VGLI coverage on the effective date of an individual insurance policy with a private insurer. Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned to provide military personnel with general information concerning life insurance whenever they have the opportunity to elect not to be insured under SGLI or to be insured in an amount less than the maximum $200,000 coverage. Redesignates the Servicemen's Life Insurance Program as the Servicemembers' Life Insurance Program. Requires the SGLI coverage of any member of the Retired Reserve to be converted to VGLI coverage within 90 days after enactment of this Act. Title II: Other Matters - Defines a minor child, for purposes of eligibility for burial in national cemeteries, as one under 21 years of age or under 23 years of age if pursuing a program of education in an educational institution. Requires the offices of Education Procedures Systems, Education Operations, and Education Policy and Program Administration of the Education Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration to be located in the District of Columbia.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on May 1, 1996. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
See S.1711.
Civibrief does not map this action to a stage in the process. See the official record.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
The latest action on file does not map to a stage Civibrief recognizes, so the page will not name one. The record's own words are the reliable fact here.
The record's latest action, on September 28, 1996: See S.1711.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 104th Congress (1995-96), 333 of the 6,806 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one has no outstanding steps listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
TERRY EVERETT (R-AL) introduced it on May 1, 1996, and 13 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 6 Democrats, 7 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on May 1, 1996, 11090 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 10940 days ago, on September 28, 1996.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 104th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1997 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseSee S.1711.
- SenateNot stated in the latest action
- PresidentNot stated in the latest action