The below template is also available as a PDF file. 

Date ___________________________

 

The Honorable _______________________­­­­______

 

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Dear Senator ______________________________,

My name is ___________________________________________________________________.   

I am a Member of Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. 

As you may know, Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. is a national organization that represents those of us, who have lost a spouse in the service of our country, either in the line of duty or service-connected injury or disability.

I would like to thank you for your service to our nation, as my Senator, and also for hearing my concerns. 

I want to bring your attention, and also seek your support, for Senate Bill 1047, the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Improvement Act of 2019.

This bill is critical to surviving spouses and I would like to tell you why it is important to me. 

The bill creates a fund to ensure that those of us who receive DIC payments would get compensation equal to the compensation paid to federal employee spouses. The fact that military widows are not paid the same as federal government spouses is not fair. As it stands right now, DIC recipients, on average, only receive 43% of a single 100% disabled veteran’s compensation. This bill would create a separate fund that would bring the total compensation to surviving spouses up to 55%, which is on par with other federal survivor programs.

Now is the time to fulfill the promise made to those of us who have sacrificed, along with our loved one’s. Thank you for your time. If you, or your Veterans’ Affairs staffer would like more information, we have an advocate in Washington, D.C. His name is Lars Anderson and he can be reached at lars.goldstarwives@gmail.com 

Thank you.

My Address is:  _____________________________________________________

 

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