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U.S.
Senator Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs
Committees |
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For Immediate
Release October 5, 2005 |
CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Press Secretary 202-228-3630 Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary 303-455-7600 |
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| Simple Name Change Honors Nation’s Fallen Heroes WASHINGTON, D.C. – Families of fallen soldiers could benefit from a simple change to demonstrate the respect of the American public for service members who are killed in the line of duty. An amendment by United States Senator Ken Salazar to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006 (HR 2863) changes the term “Death Gratuity” to “Fallen Hero Compensation. Senator Salazar’s amendment (S.A. 1887) was agreed to by the Senate earlier today and is now incorporated into HR 2863. Currently, the federal government uses the term “Death Gratuity” to describe the benefit paid to the families of service members killed in the line of duty. “This is a simple change, but it more properly reflects the sacrifices military survivors have made and more properly expresses the gratitude and dignity we owe these families” said Senator Salazar. An identical amendment by Senator Salazar was approved by the Senate in the Iraq Supplemental Appropriations bill earlier this year but was dropped in conference. “Hearing the term ‘gratuity’ is a bitter pill for survivors who have just received the worst news of their lives. Not one of the widows, widowers, or children left behind think of that money as a gift,” Senator Salazar said of his amendment. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, through October 4, 2005, 2,182 U.S. service members had been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. If passed by the Senate, the Defense Appropriations bill (HR 2863) will then proceed to conference committee to iron out differences before being passed again by both House and Senate in final form and then submitted to the President for signature or veto. # # # |
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