WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a member of the Senate Appropriations and Veterans Affairs Committees, joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Chuck Hagel today urging him to provide immediate death gratuity payments to military families during the government shutdown.

In addition to Sen. Moran, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (R- Mo.), Chris Coons (Del.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), John Boozman (Ark.), and Tom Carper (Del.).

As the letter states, the death gratuity program provides for a special tax free payment of $100,000 to eligible survivors of members of the Armed Forces who die while on active duty.

“We strongly urge you to use whatever legal discretion you have to ensure that the nation can fulfill that sacred obligation, and to promptly notify us of changes required under law while the Congress continues to work towards reopening the government,” the Senators wrote.

“Most immediately, we request that you seek an interim solution to allow the families of the five service members killed in Afghanistan this weekend to welcome their loved ones home,” the Senators continued. “Any delay in providing families with this essential benefit is absolutely unacceptable.”

To read the entire letter, please see below or click here.

October 8, 2013

The Honorable Charles Hagel
1400 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1400

Dear Secretary Hagel:

We write to express our concern with recent statements made by Department of Defense officials claiming the Department does not have the legal authority during the government shutdown to provide immediate death gratuity payments to surviving family members who lose a loved one in combat.  As you know, the death gratuity program provides for a special tax free payment of $100,000 to eligible survivors of members of the Armed Forces, who die while on active duty.

This vital benefit provides family members with an immediate cash payment to help meet their financial needs during the period immediately following the service member's death.  Often, these benefits are used to cover memorial service and burial costs, travel expenses and the unforeseen lapse in a family member’s regular paycheck, which terminates at death.  It goes without saying the death gratuity is a small price to pay in order to support family members of those who have paid the ultimate price in service to their country.

We strongly urge you to use whatever legal discretion you have to ensure that the nation can fulfill that sacred obligation, and to promptly notify us of changes required under law while the Congress continues to work towards reopening the government. Most immediately, we request that you seek an interim solution to allow the families of the five service members killed in Afghanistan this weekend to welcome their loved ones home.  One such solution could be financial assistance from the Fisher House, which has offered an advance grant to families of the fallen. We pledge to work with you and do anything in our power to ensure this is problem resolved.  Any delay in providing families with this essential benefit is absolutely unacceptable.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, today called on the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) to justify their purchase of $562,000 of artwork in the final days of Fiscal Year 2013.

"At a time when the nation’s crushing debt threatens the well-being of our veterans and all Americans, and when spending across the government is being reduced, I fail to comprehend the reason why this purchase was authorized," Sen. Moran said in the letter to VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.

Sen. Moran went on to request a justification for what he sees as a complete failure to prioritize the spending of taxpayer dollars. The senator also outlined several examples of VA programs that could have put a half-million dollars to good use.

"If the overall fiscal stability of our country is not of sufficient concern, then the VA should have at least prioritized service to veterans who continue to wait inordinate lengths of time to receive decisions on benefit claims," Sen. Moran said to Sec. Shinseki. "These funds also would have been better spent filling positions in Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Kansas and other rural states where staffing remains an acute problem to which the VA is struggling to respond adequately. Among these and many other problems before the VA, it is very troubling that appropriations were not put to better use."

The Washington Post recently reported the purchase as part of a “use it or lose it” shopping spree by agencies concerned that they will lose their allotted funds if they are not spent before October 1. Additionally, there is concern among agencies that they could face decreased funding levels in the future if appropriated funds are not spent by the end of each fiscal year.

Please find below the full text of Sen. Moran’s letter to Sen. Shinseki:

The Honorable Eric K. Shinseki

Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs

810 Vermont Ave, NW

Washington, D.C.  20420

Dear Secretary Shinseki:

  I was appalled to learn that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) spent $562,000 on artwork the week before the 2013 fiscal year concluded.  At a time when the nation’s crushing debt threatens the well-being of our veterans and all Americans, and when spending across the government is being reduced, I fail to comprehend the reason why this purchase was authorized.

If the overall fiscal stability of our country is not of sufficient concern, then the VA should have at least prioritized service to veterans who continue to wait inordinate lengths of time to receive decisions on benefit claims.  These funds also would have been better spent filling positions in Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Kansas and other rural states where staffing remains an acute problem to which the VA is struggling to respond adequately.  Among these and many other problems before the VA, it is very troubling that appropriations were not put to better use.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, it is a priority of mine to ensure the well-being of all veterans, which entails providing the VA with the means necessary to care for them.  I personally pledged to you both in a public hearing and privately in my office that I am an ally in helping you do your job.  I ask that you work to restore my confidence in the VA by ensuring your agency is spending taxpayer money in a responsible, effective manner that best serves the interests of America’s veterans. 

I request a justification for the purchase of over a half-million dollars of artwork for the VA and look forward to a timely response.

Sincerely,

Jerry Moran

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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and 48 additional bipartisan Senators today sent a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel urging that the National Guard and Reserves, and the civilians who support our troops, receive pay during the government shutdown.

Even though the “Pay Our Military Act” was quickly signed into law before the government shut down to make sure all military personnel receive pay, there have been reports that many service members or civilians, especially in the National Guard and Reserves, have been furloughed without compensation.

"Congress made it clear with the passage of the Pay Our Military Act that the financial well-being and readiness of those serving our country must not suffer due to gridlock on Capitol Hill," Moran said. "I am deeply concerned over reports that members of our Armed Forces and civilians who are directly supporting soldiers and airmen are being furloughed. Congress has given the Department of Defense the authority and latitude to maintain pay and benefits for all service members and the civilians who support them. This must be rectified as soon as possible."

"Before our government shut down, Washington unanimously agreed to make sure paychecks go out to our service members and those who dedicate their lives to protect us each and every day," Manchin said. "It is simply not fair and not right that the National Guard and Reserves and other civilians who also work on our national security have been furloughed and are forced to stay at home without receiving their paychecks. I am encouraged that so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have swiftly come together to make this wrong a right. I thank the many West Virginia Guardsman and women, and their families, who contacted me about this issue: your voice matters."

Senators Manchin, Moran, Udall, Hoeven, Pryor, Ayotte and 44 additional senators sent the letter to Secretary Hagel requesting that the Department of Defense resolve any discrepancies immediately to make sure that those who serve this country, and their families, receive the paychecks they have earned and deserve. The Senators urged the Department of Defense to use the authority that they’ve been given by Congress to maintain our national security without interruption.

The following United States Senators sent the letter to Secretary Hagel.

Joe Manchin III, Jerry Moran, Mark Udall, Kelly Ayotte, Mark Pryor, John Hoeven, John D. Rockefeller IV, Pat Roberts, Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal, Michael Bennet, Patrick Leahy, Dianne Feinstein, Mark Kirk, Susan M. Collins, Saxby Chambliss, Debbie Stabenow, Tom Udall, John Boozman, Johnny Isakson, Joe Donnelly, Mazie K. Hirono, Mark Begich, Barbara Boxer, Robert Menendez, Chris Coons, Ron Wyden, Heidi Heitkamp, Benjamin L. Cardin, Mary Landrieu, Bill Nelson, Angus S. King, Tim Johnson, Amy Klobuchar, Bernard Sanders, Roy Blunt, Jon Tester, Martin Heinrich, Max Baucus, Charles E. Grassley, Al Franken, Pat Toomey, Richard Burr, Dan Coats, Chris Murphy, Jeff Sessions, James Inhofe, Kay Hagan, Dean Heller and Roger Wicker.

To read the entire letter sent to Defense Secretary Hagel, please see below:

Dear Secretary Hagel,

One of the issues that this divided Congress can agree on is ensuring that our troops who serve in harm’s way, and those that support them, receive the pay and benefits that they have earned. That is why Congress unanimously passed the “Pay Our Military Act” and the President quickly signed the bill into law.

The “Pay Our Military Act” gives the Department of Defense broad latitude to pay service members and civilians. The bill does not limit the provision of pay to civilians or certain service members who were previously categorized by the Administration as 'excepted' or 'essential' during sequestration furloughs. The law that we recently passed is explicitly clear: all members of the Armed Forces, including Reserve component personnel serving in an active status, will be paid in the event of a government shutdown. Further, the bill requires that civilian Department of Defense personnel “providing support to members of the Armed Forces” continue to receive their pay and allowances.

Unfortunately, we are receiving disturbing and conflicting reports from constituents and military personnel that uniformed service members and civilians who are directly supporting troops, including those in combat, are being furloughed. It is our understanding that under the current Department of Defense guidance, our National Guard and Reserves are seeing disruptions for personnel, to include:

• Traditional members of the Guard or Reserve who attend drill and annual training, including those who are performing domestic disaster relief and recovery operations; and
• Dual-status technicians, who are uniformed service members, and also non-dual status technicians; and
• Active Guard Reserve (AGR) personnel; and
• Personnel on short-term, mission-essential, active duty tours (commonly known as ADOS); and
• Federally reimbursed state civilians, such as firefighters, air traffic controllers and other civilians in direct support of military operations.

Beyond the impact on the National Guard and Reserves, we have also received reports of civilians who have been furloughed, even though they directly support deployed troops and their family members.

Therefore, we urge you to review the policies that the services are disseminating to their commands to ensure that the spirit of the “Pay Our Military Act” is upheld and that guidance is standard across the services. Congress has given you the authority to maintain our national security without interruption. We strongly believe that all service members, and the civilians that support them, should receive equitable and fair treatment under this law. 

Thank you for reviewing this matter.

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