I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2539 

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 21, 2015 

Mr. KENNEDY 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 2015’’. 


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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 $1,154’’ 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) by striking paragraph (3); and 

13 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub14 section: 

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

16 dependency and indemnity compensation under this sec17 tion who is also eligible for benefits under another provi18 sion of law by reason of such individual’s status as the 

19 surviving spouse of a veteran, then, notwithstanding any 

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

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

22 under such provision shall be made by reason of such indi23 vidual’s eligibility for benefits under this section.’’. 

24 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

25 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided by para26 graph (2), the amendments made by subsection (a) 


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1 shall apply with respect to compensation paid under 

2 chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, for 

3 months beginning after the date that is six months 

4 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

5 (2) SPECIAL RULE FOR CERTAIN INDIVID6 UALS.— 

7 (A) For months beginning after the date 

8 that is six months after the date of the enact9 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af10 fairs shall pay to an individual described in sub11 paragraph (B) dependency and indemnity com12 pensation under section 1311 of title 38, United 

13 States Code, in the monthly amount that is the 

14 greater of the following: 

15 (i) The amount determined under sub16 section (a)(3) of such section 1311, as in 

17 effect on the day before the date of the en18 actment of this Act. 

19 (ii) The amount determined under 

20 subsection (a)(1) of such section 1311, as 

21 amended by subsection (a). 

22 (B) An individual described in this sub23 paragraph is an individual eligible for depend24 ency and indemnity compensation under section 

25 1311 of title 38, United States Code, that is 


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1 predicated on the death of a veteran before 

2 January 1, 1993. 

Æ 


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