Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman JOANN DOWNEY
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblyman ERIC HOUGHTALING
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Wirths, Space, Assemblywoman Swain and Assemblyman Tully
SYNOPSIS
Respectfully urges Congress to pass “Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021.”
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution respectfully urging the United States Congress to pass the “Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021.”
Whereas, The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions of Americans, causing death and devastation in every state and in all areas of life; and
Whereas, The pandemic has impacted veterans just as harshly as any other group of people with over 10,000 deaths recorded alone by homes and centers operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; and
Whereas, Due to the nature of COVID-19, it is often difficult to determine the principal or contributory causes of death in a person who dies from COVID-19; and
Whereas, Veterans with service-connected disabilities may have multiple serious health conditions, including cancers, diabetes, respiratory issues, and a weakened immune system, which make COVID-19 that much more dangerous; and
Whereas, The families of veterans with service-connected disabilities who have died as a result of contracting COVID-19 are potentially at risk of losing their survivor benefits because the death certificate for those veterans lists COVID-19 as the principal or contributory cause of death; and
Whereas, The United States Congress has introduced the bipartisan “Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021” which would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to get a medical opinion to determine if a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death in situations where a veteran’s death certificate identifies COVID-19 as the principal or contributory cause of death; and
Whereas, The medical opinion required by this act would ensure that the families of those veterans would not be denied any survivor benefits because the death certificate does not clearly identify any of the veteran’s service-connected disabilities as the principal or contributory cause of death; and
Whereas, The federal legislation would help the families of veterans with service-connected disabilities by preserving the benefits to which they are entitled; and
Whereas, Therefore, it is fitting and proper for this House to demonstrate its support for this bipartisan legislation and honor its commitment to veterans and their families by continuing to support their needs and urging Congress to pass this important legislation; now, therefore,
Be It
Resolved by the General Assembly of the State
of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the United States Congress to support veterans with disabilities and their families by passing the “Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021.”
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives, and each member of the United States Congress elected from the State of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully urges the United States Congress to pass the “Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive disruption, death, and devastation across the world. United States veterans have been impacted just as significantly as others. The Department of Veterans Affairs has recorded over 10,000 deaths from COVID-19 at their centers and homes. That figure does not account for the death tolls in state-run and privately run veterans facilities.
One group at the greatest risk is veterans with service-connected disabilities. Their service-connected disabilities may have multiple serious health conditions, including cancers, diabetes, respiratory issues, and a weakened immune system, which make COVID-19 that much more dangerous. When a veteran dies as a result of COVID-19, their death certificate will list COVID-19 as the principal or contributory cause of death. However, the death certificate often fails to list any of the veteran’s service-connected disabilities, which may be the principal or contributory cause of death. This oversight potentially puts the families of those veterans at risk of losing the survivor benefits to which they are entitled.
The bipartisan “Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021” currently introduced in the United States Congress would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to get a medical opinion to determine if a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death in situations where a veteran’s death certificate identifies COVID-19 as the principal or contributory cause of death. The medical opinion required by this act would ensure that the families of those veterans would not be denied any survivor benefits because the death certificate does not clearly identify any of the veteran’s service-connected disabilities as the principal or contributory cause of death. The federal legislation would help the families of veterans with service-connected disabilities by preserving the benefits to which they are entitled.