I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9035 

To amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, and the National Defense 

Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014, to expand eligibility for certain 

benefits that arise from the death of a member of the Armed Forces, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 15, 2024 

Mr. CARBAJAL (for himself and Mr. WALTZ) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently 

determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, and the 

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 

2014, to expand eligibility for certain benefits that arise 

from the death of a member of the Armed Forces, and 

for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘ROTC and DEP Bene5 fits Improvement Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN BENE2 FITS THAT ARISE FROM THE DEATH OF A 

3 MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES. 

4 (a) DEATH GRATUITY.—Section 1475(a)(4) of title 

5 10, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘for a pe6 riod of more than 13 days’’. 

7 (b) RECOVERY, CARE, AND DISPOSITION OF RE8 MAINS.—Section 1481(a) of title 10, United States Code, 

9 is amended by adding at the end the following new para10 graph: 

11 ‘‘(11) Any person not otherwise covered by this 

12 section whose death entitles a survivor of such per13 son to a death gratuity under section 1475 of this 

14 title.’’. 

15 (c) SERVICEMEMBERS’ GROUP LIFE INSURANCE.— 

16 Section 1965 of title 38, United States Code, is amended, 

17 in paragraph (5)— 

18 (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

19 and inserting a semicolon; 

20 (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘field 

21 training or practice cruises’’ and inserting ‘‘ad22 vanced training (as such term is defined in section 

23 2101 of title 10)’’; 

24 (3) by redesignating subparagraph (D), as 

25 amended, as subparagraph (E); and 


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1 (4) by inserting, after subparagraph (C), the 

2 following new subparagraph (D): 

3 ‘‘(D) a Reserve— 

4 ‘‘(i) not otherwise described in this 

5 paragraph; 

6 ‘‘(ii) enlisted under section 513 of 

7 title 10; and 

8 ‘‘(iii) without regard to duty status; 

9 and’’. 

10 (d) ASSISTANCE FROM A CASUALTY ASSISTANCE OF11 FICER.—Section 633 of the National Defense Authoriza12 tion Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113–66; 10 

13 U.S.C. 1475 note) is amended— 

14 (1) in subsection (a)— 

15 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

16 (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘; 

17 and’’ and inserting a semicolon; 

18 (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

19 the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 

20 and’’; and 

21 (iii) by adding at the end the fol22 lowing new subparagraph: 

23 ‘‘(C) an individual not described in subpara24 graph (A) or (B) who is entitled to a death gratuity 


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1 under section 1475 of title 10, United States 

2 Code.’’; and 

3 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

4 (i) by striking ‘‘spouses and depend5 ents’’ each place it appears and inserting 

6 ‘‘survivors’’; and 

7 (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

8 ‘‘spouses and other dependents of deceased 

9 members’’ and inserting ‘‘such survivors’’; 

10 and 

11 (2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘the spouse 

12 and other dependents of a deceased member of the 

13 Armed Forces’’ and inserting ‘‘such a survivor’’. 

14 (e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

15 this section shall apply to a death that occurs on or after 

16 the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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