Military Legislation Update May 8, 2012

This article lists recently added/updated/signed bills from Congress that deal with the Armed Forces. Not all bills listed in this article are necessarily AFSA supported.

• Bill Introduced: H.R.4978 To amend title 38, United States Code, to remove the maximum payment amount for certain qualified losses under the Traumatic Injury Protection under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance program.
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to remove the maximum payment amount for certain qualified losses under the Traumatic Injury Protection under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance program.

• Bill Introduced: H.R.4913 To require designated military command responsibility and accountability for the care, handling, and transportation of the remains of a deceased member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who died overseas, from the place of death, through the defense mortuary system, until the remains are accepted by the member’s next of kin, in order to ensure that the deceased member is treated with dignity, honor, and respect.
  To require designated military command responsibility and accountability for the care, handling, and transportation of the remains of a deceased member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who died overseas, from the place of death, through the defense mortuary system, until the remains are accepted by the member’s next of kin, in order to ensure that the deceased member is treated with dignity, honor, and respect.

• Bill Introduced: S.Res.445 A resolution expressing support for the designation of May 1, 2012, as "Silver Star Service Banner Day".
  A resolution expressing support for the designation of May 1, 2012, as “Silver Star Service Banner Day”.

• Bill Introduced: S.2404 A bill to authorize the award of the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing for acts of valor during the Civil War.
  A bill to authorize the award of the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing for acts of valor during the Civil War.

• Bill Introduced: S.2466 Military Reservists Access to Mental Health Services Act of 2011
  A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the provision of behavioral health readiness services to certain members of the Selected Reserve of the Armed Forces based on need, and for other purposes.

• Bill Introduced: H.R.4869 Armed Forces Breast Cancer Research Act of 2012
  To direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to jointly conduct a study on the incidence of breast cancer among members of the Armed Forces and veterans.

• Bill Introduced: H.R.4933 To authorize the award of the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing for acts of valor during the Civil War.
  To authorize the award of the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing for acts of valor during the Civil War.

• Bill Introduced: H.R.4740 Fairness for Military Homeowners Act of 2012
  To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to ensure that relocation of a servicemember to serve on active duty away from the servicemember’s principal residence does not prevent the servicemember from refinancing a mortgage on that principal residence.