I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2243 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the 

amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable 

to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 5, 2009 

Mr. BUYER (for himself, Mr. WALZ, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. 

PIERLUISI, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. BUCHANAN, Mr. 

ROONEY, Mrs. BONO MACK, Mr. KLINE of Minnesota, Mr. PUTNAM, Mr. 

LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. TAYLOR, Mr. MILLER of Florida, 

Mr. HALL of New York, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Ms. JACKSONLEE of Texas, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. MCMAHON, Mr. JONES, Ms. 

BORDALLO, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. MICHAUD, and Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an 

increase in the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by 

the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Surviving Spouses’ 

5 Benefit Improvement Act of 2009’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF DEPENDENCY AND IN2 DEMNITY COMPENSATION PAYABLE TO SUR3 VIVING SPOUSES BY THE SECRETARY OF 

4 VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

5 (a) INCREASE.—Section 1311 of title 38, United 

6 States Code, is amended— 

7 (1) in subsection (a)— 

8 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘of 

9 $1,091’’ and inserting ‘‘equal to 55 percent of 

10 the rate of monthly compensation in effect 

11 under section 1114(j) of this title’’; and 

12 (B) in paragraph (3)— 

13 (i) by striking ‘‘$1,067’’ each place it 

14 appears and inserting ‘‘$1,292’’; 

15 (ii) by striking ‘‘1,104’’ and inserting 

16 ‘‘$1,337’’; 

17 (iii) by striking ‘‘$1,165’’ both places 

18 it appears and inserting ‘‘$1,411’’; 

19 (iv) by striking ‘‘$1,215’’ and insert20 ing ‘‘$1,472’’; 

21 (v) by striking ‘‘$1,128’’ both places 

22 it appears and inserting ‘‘$1,365’’; 

23 (vi) by striking ‘‘$1,172’’ and insert24 ing ‘‘$1,419’’; 

25 (vii) by striking ‘‘$1,207’’ and insert26 ing ‘‘$1,462’’; 


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1 (viii) by striking ‘‘$1,276’’ and insert2 ing ‘‘$1,546’’; 

3 (ix) by striking ‘‘$1,246’’ and insert4 ing ‘‘$1,509’’; 

5 (x) by striking ‘‘$1,319’’ and inserting 

6 ‘‘$1,598’’; 

7 (xi) by striking ‘‘$1,452’’ and insert8 ing ‘‘$1,760’’; 

9 (xii) by striking ‘‘$1,637’’ and insert10 ing ‘‘$1,984’’; 

11 (xiii) by striking ‘‘$1,768’’ and insert12 ing ‘‘$2,141’’; 

13 (xiv) by striking ‘‘$1,941’’ and insert14 ing ‘‘$2,352’’; 

15 (xv) by striking ‘‘$2,076’’ and insert16 ing ‘‘$2,516’’; 

17 (xvi) by striking ‘‘$2,276’’ and insert18 ing ‘‘$2,759’’; 

19 (xvii) by striking ‘‘$1,342’’ and insert20 ing ‘‘$1,589’’; and 

21 (xviii) by striking ‘‘$2,499’’ and in22 serting ‘‘$2,960’’; and 

23 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub24 section: 


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1 ‘‘(g) In the case of an individual who is eligible for 

2 dependency and indemnity compensation under this sec3 tion who is also eligible for benefits under another provi4 sion of law by reason of such individual’s status as the 

5 surviving spouse of a veteran, then, notwithstanding any 

6 other provision of law (other than section 5304(b)(3) of 

7 this title), neither a reduction nor an offset in benefits 

8 under such provision shall be made by reason of such indi9 vidual’s eligibility for benefits under this section.’’. 

10 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

11 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to compensation 

12 paid under chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, 

13 for months beginning after the date that is 6 months after 

14 the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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