Obama signs military death benefits bill
Updated 10/10/2013 at 8:30pm
Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama has signed into law legislation that continues federal funding of death benefits for military families, the White House said on Thursday.
The issue became an emotional political flashpoint because it had been cut during the government shutdown.
The Senate gave final congressional approval to a House-passed measure earlier in the day even though the Obama administration had finalized a plan for a private charity - Fisher House - to cover the cost of benefits until the government shutdown is resolved.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the push by Republicans was "unnecessary" because benefits were again flowing.
"This issue is largely moot. It's clear the action on this legislation is just for show," he said.
Until now, Senate Democrats had refused to take up a series of individual bills the GOP-led House passed to reopen parts of the government, such as the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Administration.
Outside of approving one bill to provide pay for the military, Democrats have insisted Republicans agree to reopen the entire government as opposed to doing it piecemeal.
A spokesman for Reid wouldn't say specifically why the Democratic leader agreed to pass the death benefit bill but he pointed to Reid's comments that the push by Republicans was for "show."
Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn said he was concerned about legal and other issues that might arise from the special contract the Pentagon made with Fisher House and wanted the fix in law.
He said he hopes the decision by Democrats "paves the way" to take up "some other narrow bills until we can come together on a larger bill."
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney also said the legislation wasn't needed because of the Fisher House arrangement.
"Our view has been that this piecemeal funding is, again, a gimmick," said Carney.
Spouses and families of service members who die get $100,000 as well as other benefits, such as the cost of burial, travel, and housing.
From CNN Politics
- DNC pushed back over coronavirus pandemic April 2, 2020 07:56 pm
- A 3,000% jump in jobless claims has devastated the US job market April 2, 2020 03:35 pm
- Some Americans could wait 20 weeks to receive stimulus checks, IRS tells House Democrats April 2, 2020 05:52 pm
- Trump again tests negative for coronavirus April 2, 2020 09:49 pm
- Trump invokes Defense Production Act to 'facilitate the supply' of ventilator equipment April 2, 2020 09:09 pm
- Analysis: Coronavirus has already permanently changed our economy and the way we live April 2, 2020 06:15 pm
All the Repubicans have to do is fight the fights worth fighting.
This is just stupid it should have never stopped.
Looks like all the Obama people want to do is keep stirring the pot to keep this Country divided and they are doing a really good job so far.
I hope the House continues to do what they were elected to do stop the absurd overspending on bills that will make our taxes go up and our debt up too.
Obama Sequester tactics:
1. Make it as publicly painful as possible
2. Attack the military
– he's killed education programs for the military
– he's gone after military priests/chaplins
– went after their death benefits
3. Disrespects US citizens
– closes the National Mall to US citizens and veterans, but allows illegal immigrants to protest in the closed National Mall
– Donated $7 billion to Africa during the Obama Sequester
– Donated $450 million to the Muslim BroHood in Egypt during the Obama Sequester
Now these are the comments I'm used to seeing on liberal CNN. Democrats are like wife's and Republicans are like the husband. It's always the husbands fault no matter how obvious.
the senate dems are a mockery of any common decency, just do your jobs, and quit turning down everything the republicans send over, your a joke. give me my money back, and get another job.
Thank you. Let's keep this going by passing other important legislation, one at a time if necessary, to get parks open, federals workers back to work, etc.
Funny how the Obama administration is taking credit for something the Fisher House already did and the PENTAGON set up. Do not give credit to the DICtator. He did not do this nor did his people. Just like the DICtator did not do anything in getting Osama except watch TV and play cards.
piecemeal approach 🙂 Will Obama ? 🙂
No politician in his right mind would turn their backs on Veterans and their families in a time of war. Bill approval in the House and Senate was to be expected as it is certainly deserved.
The president's neglect in taking care of this first speaks volumes.
interesting. No picking and choosing when it's about kids with cancer. Wake up and smell the double standard Harry Ried supporters.
Screw the tea party retards. They will learn their lesson soon, but it will be too late for them. l appeal to any reasonable Republican who has the cohones to stand up to those retards kick them out of your party. Save the Republican Party for God Sake....
The trolls are in the house!!
sweet jesus. you people inhabit a completely different universe than the rest of us. obama attacking the military? going after chaplains? completely unhinged.
its almost as if, somehow, when you shut down the government, the government stops functioning. crazy, right?
Lets take care of the living now!
Republican drama sucks.
This entire ordeal is so embarrasing. The leaders of our country are a disgrace to the American people and the government.
So now the government is going to pick and choose what to restore. I'm all about giving military their benefits but there are also living people that need to eat. This is a circus.
Was that so hard. Something both sides of the house agreed on unanimously. Why the senate hesitated to pass it is beyond me. And sorry Mr Reid. Relying on a private company to do something you have a bill for is stupid
Now if Reid and Obama will sign the rest of the 50 bills the house has sent them and give up this idea Obama rules the world we can all move the hell on.
It would be nice if Congress opens up the government so that federal workers who is currently on the job can get a paycheck. That would be very nice.
UH oh, simultaneously uploaded to the Main Politics page again, I see - hence the more-than-usually idiotic comments from supporters of the "tea party" rebellion against the United States.
And it took the House to show to the Senate what they should do. After all, men are dying so the fat cats in DC can wave a magic wand. Oh, we who are posting here -safe and sound-should be pleased that we are willing to bury our dead.
-freedom
The president's neglect in taking care of this first speaks volumes.
******************
Funny, never heard a peep out of the Righties until the vets rushed the memorial: maybe you did not think that this would affect real people?
And Obummer just vetoed it............