'Death Benefits' For Survivors of Troops Shut Down By Obama

Obama is a despicable human being.

The guy has no shame. He has no heart.

Only 17 percent of the government is shut down, yet Obama is allowing the Department of Defense to halt death benefits to the survivors of our troops who are killed.

This is truly a disgrace.

It's cruel beyond words. This stunt is unthinkable.

From The Hill:

House Republicans are drafting legislation that would allow the Pentagon to pay out death benefits that have been stopped during the government shutdown, according to congressional aides.

The bill in the works would explicitly allow the Pentagon to make payments of $100,000 to the survivors of troops who are killed.

The halted death benefits have sparked a clash between the Pentagon and congressional Republicans over whether a law to pay the military during the shutdown that passed last week allows the Pentagon to pay death gratuities.

Pentagon officials say they are unable to pay the death benefits during the shutdown because the benefits aren’t a paid allowance.

“We have some heart-rending situations — that we are not allowed, by law, to pay death gratuities,” Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale told reporters last week, adding that the “Pay Our Military Act” did not change the situation.

“We've had a number of people die recently and we will be able to pay them, but not until the lapse of appropriation ends,” Hale said.

Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee disagree. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Tuesday accusing the Pentagon of making a “careless legal interpretation” to deny benefits.

“The Department of Defense, through a careless legal interpretation, is now mistakenly denying payments of Death Gratuity and other benefits to the families of those who make the ultimate sacrifice,” Hunter wrote.

This really is too much.

Exploiting grieving families, using them as pawns in this political showdown, is an unconscionable move by the Obama team.

I really question Obama's character.

Why would he do this? Doesn't he have a conscience? Why would he allow this to go on?

Thankfully, Republicans in the House are taking immediate action.

House Republicans late Tuesday released the text of a resolution that is meant to ensure the Defense Department can continue making "death gratuity" payments to families of soldiers who are killed while serving.

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) is the sponsor of the Honoring the Families of Fallen Soldiers Act, H.J.Res. 91.

...Republicans say these payments should have continued under a bill passed on September 30 that allows ongoing appropriations for the military. But the Defense Department said it was not authorized to continue these payments.

Republicans are calling up the bill under a suspension of House rules, which means it will get a shorter debate and will need a two-thirds majority vote to pass. The bill could come up as early as Wednesday.

It's outrageous that Obama and his Democrat minions have made it necessary for Republicans to take these measures.

It seems the Leftists will stop at nothing to "win."

This, however, is going too far.

Obama and the Dems are no longer just annoying or major pains in this political game.

They're sick.

They're scum.

We're seeing the sort of people they really are and it's not pretty.

They are spitting on the families of our war dead.

They're showing no respect for the loved ones of the fallen, like Lance Cpl. Jeremiah Collins, Jr.

This must stop.