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Collins, Jones Propose Fuller Benefits For Military Widows

A pair of U.S. senators wants to repeal a law they believe unfairly penalizes the widows of members of the military.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Democratic Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama have introduced a proposal called the Military Widow’s Tax Elimination Act. The senators said the proposal would take away a law that stops tens of thousands of surviving military spouses from receiving full survivor benefits from the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs.

Collins said more than 260 of the spouses are located in her state. The proposal to repeal the penalty has been included in the final version of the annual federal defense bill, the senators said. The bill is called the National Defense Authorization Act.