I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2278 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to improve equitable access to certain benefits under the laws 
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and to improve certain 
outreach to individuals who served uniformed services and dependents 
of such individuals, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 21, 2025 
Mr. TAKANO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to improve equitable access 
to certain benefits under the laws administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs and to improve certain 
outreach to individuals who served uniformed services 
and dependents of such individuals, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Survivor Benefits De-
livery Improvement Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CERTAIN BENEFITS OF DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR SUR-
VIVORS OF VETERANS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Survivor Benefits Data Collection Act of 2025’’. 
(b) COLLECTION OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.— 
(1) COLLECTION.—Chapter 53 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section (and conforming the 
table of sections at the beginning of such chapter ac-
cordingly): 
‘‘§ 5322. Demographic data of certain beneficiaries 
‘‘(a) COLLECTION.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with the entities described in subsection (b), shall— 
‘‘(1) develop a method to collect the demo-
graphic data of— 
‘‘(A) each covered survivor receiving dis-
ability and indemnity compensation under chap-
ter 13 of this title, pension under chapter 15 of 
this title, or increased pension (or additional 
compensation or allowances) under this title 
based on the need of regular aid and attend-
ance or by reason of being permanently house-
bound; and 
‘‘(B) each person who receives burial bene-
fits under chapter 23 of this title; and 
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‘‘(2) collect demographic data pursuant to the 
method developed under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(b) ENTITIES FOR CONSULTATION.—The entities 
described in this subsection are the following: 
‘‘(1) The Advisory Committee on Minority Vet-
erans established under section 544 of this title. 
‘‘(2) The Advisory Committee on Women Vet-
erans established under section 542 of this title. 
‘‘(3) The Veterans’ Family, Caregiver, and Sur-
vivor Advisory Committee of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, or successor advisory committee. 
‘‘(4) Veterans service organizations. 
‘‘(c) 
DESIGNATION
OF
UNDERSERVED
DEMO-
GRAPHICS.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) designate as an underserved demographic 
any demographic the Secretary determines, taking 
into account the demographic data collected under 
subsection (a), is underserved with respect to the 
benefits specified in such subsection; and 
‘‘(2) review such designations on at least a bi-
ennial basis and update as appropriate. 
‘‘(d) INCLUSION IN ANNUAL REPORTS.—For each 
annual benefits report of the Veterans Benefits Adminis-
tration, the Secretary shall include as part of the report 
information concerning the demographic data collected 
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under subsection (a) during the fiscal year covered by the 
report. 
‘‘(e) EFFECT ON APPLICATION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed as requiring any person to submit 
demographic data or as authorizing the Secretary to con-
sider whether a person submits demographic data in eval-
uating any claim for benefits under the laws administered 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘covered survivor’ means a sur-
viving spouse, child, or parent of a veteran. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘demographic data’ includes, 
with respect to an individual, the following: 
‘‘(A) Race. 
‘‘(B) Ethnicity. 
‘‘(C) Tribal affiliation, if any. 
‘‘(D) LGBTQIA+ status. 
‘‘(E) Geographic location. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘veterans service organization’ 
means any organization recognized by the Secretary 
under section 5902 of this title.’’. 
(2) DEADLINES; APPLICABILITY.— 
(A) DEADLINE
FOR
COLLECTION.—The 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop the 
data collection method under subsection (a) of 
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section 5322 of title 38, United States Code (as 
added by paragraph (1)), and commence the 
collection of data pursuant to such method, by 
not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
(B) DEADLINE
FOR
INITIAL
DESIGNA-
TIONS.—The Secretary shall make the initial 
designation of any underserved demographics 
under subsection (c) of such section 5322 by 
not later than one year after the date on which 
the Secretary commences the collection of data 
under subsection (a) of such section. 
(C) APPLICABILITY
REGARDING
ANNUAL 
REPORTS.—The requirement under subsection 
(d) of such section 5322 shall apply with re-
spect to annual benefits reports of the Veterans 
Benefits Administration submitted on or after 
the date that is one year after the date on 
which the Secretary commences the collection of 
data under subsection (a) of such section. 
(c) OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.— 
(1) STRATEGY
FOR
UNDERSERVED
DEMO-
GRAPHICS.—Not later than one year after the date 
of initial designation, the Secretary shall develop and 
submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 
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the Senate and House of Representatives an out-
reach and education strategy for raising awareness 
regarding the benefits specified in section 5322(a) of 
title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection 
(b)), among covered survivors who belong to an un-
derserved demographic. 
(2) ELIGIBILITY OF VETERANS FOR CERTAIN 
BURIAL BENEFITS.— 
(A) OUTREACH PLAN.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of initial designation, the 
Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs shall de-
velop and submit to the Committees on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 
and the Senate an outreach strategy for raising 
awareness regarding eligibility for burial in a 
national cemetery under section 2303 of title 
38, United States Code, among veterans and 
beneficiaries who belong to an underserved de-
mographic. 
(B) EDUCATION ACTIVITIES.—The Under 
Secretary shall carry out education activities 
pursuant to the plan developed under subpara-
graph (A) to ensure that the veterans and bene-
ficiaries specified in such paragraph are made 
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aware of any eligibility specified in such sub-
paragraph. 
(C) REPORTS.—Not later than one year 
after the date of initial designation, and annu-
ally thereafter for five years, the Under Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 
and the Senate a report on the efforts taken by 
the Under Secretary pursuant to this para-
graph. 
(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
(A) The term ‘‘covered survivor’’ has the 
meanings given that term in section 5322(e) of 
title 38, United States Code (as added by sub-
section (b)). 
(B) The term ‘‘date of initial designation’’ 
means the date on which the Secretary makes 
the initial designation of any underserved demo-
graphics. 
(C) The term ‘‘underserved demographic’’ 
means a demographic designated as an under-
served demographic by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs under section 5322(c) of title 38, 
United States Code (as added by subsection 
(b)). 
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(d) ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGY FOR OFFICE OF 
SURVIVORS ASSISTANCE.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall— 
(1) conduct an assessment of the resources of 
the Office of Survivors Assistance of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs, or any successor office; and 
(2) develop a strategy to ensure the availability 
of resources necessary for the function of such of-
fice, as determined by the Secretary as a result of 
the assessment. 
SEC. 3. IMPROVEMENTS TO OUTREACH SERVICES PRO-
VIDED BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED IN THE 
UNIFORMED SERVICES AND DEPENDENTS OF 
SUCH INDIVIDUALS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Survivor Solid Start Act of 2025’’. 
(b) EXPANSION
OF OUTREACH SERVICES.—Sub-
chapter I of chapter 63 of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) in section 6301(b)— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(1) 
through (3) as paragraphs (2) through (4), re-
spectively; 
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(B) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as 
so redesignated) the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(1) the term ‘covered individual’ means— 
‘‘(A) a veteran; or 
‘‘(B) an individual who served in the uni-
formed services (as defined in section 1965(6) 
of this title);’’; 
(C) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated), 
by striking ‘‘veterans’’ each place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘covered individuals’’; and 
(D) in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated), 
by striking ‘‘a person who served in the active 
military, naval, air, or space service’’ and in-
serting ‘‘a covered individual’’; 
(2) in section 6302(b), by striking ‘‘eligible vet-
erans’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘covered 
individuals’’; 
(3) in section 6303— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘eligible 
veterans’’ and inserting ‘‘covered individuals’’; 
(B) in subsection (c)(1)(A), by striking 
‘‘eligible veterans’’ and inserting ‘‘covered indi-
viduals’’; 
(C) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ‘‘vet-
eran or dependent’’ each place it appears and 
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inserting ‘‘covered individual or eligible depend-
ent’’; and 
(D) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘vet-
erans’’ and inserting ‘‘covered individuals’’; 
(4) in section 6306— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘eligible 
veteran’’ and inserting ‘‘covered individual’’; 
and 
(B) in subsection (b)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘opportunities for vet-
erans’’ and inserting ‘‘opportunities for 
covered individuals’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘eligible veterans’’ and 
inserting ‘‘covered individuals’’; and 
(5) in section 6308, by adding at the end the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(c) OUTREACH SERVICES FOR SURVIVING ELIGIBLE 
DEPENDENTS.—(1)(A) Upon receipt of notification of the 
death of a covered individual, the Secretary, acting 
through the Under Secretary for Benefits, shall provide 
outreach services, by mail, email, and telephone, to each 
eligible dependent of such individual not less than once 
each quarter calendar year until the eligible dependent 
files a claim for a benefit under laws administered by the 
Secretary. 
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‘‘(B) In the case of an eligible dependent described 
in subparagraph (A) who is a minor child, the Secretary 
shall provide such outreach services to the legal guardian 
of the eligible dependent. 
‘‘(C) If the Secretary does not have the contact infor-
mation of an eligible dependent or legal guardian de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) or (B), the Secretary shall 
make reasonable efforts to obtain such contact informa-
tion to carry out this subsection. 
‘‘(D) An eligible dependent or legal guardian de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) or (B) may elect to not re-
ceive, or to receive fewer, outreach services under this sub-
section. Not less than once each calendar year, the Sec-
retary shall notify each such eligible dependent or legal 
guardian of the option to make such an election. 
‘‘(2) Outreach services under this subsection shall 
provide an eligible dependent with information including 
the following: 
‘‘(A) Contact information for the Office of Sur-
vivors Assistance established under section 321 of 
this title. 
‘‘(B) Information regarding assistance in filing 
a claim for a benefit under laws administered by the 
Secretary furnished by— 
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‘‘(i) a veterans service organization recog-
nized under section 5902 of this title; or 
‘‘(ii) an attorney, agent, or other entity 
recognized under section 5904 of this title. 
‘‘(C) How to find an entity— 
‘‘(i) described in clause (i) or (ii) of sub-
paragraph (B); and 
‘‘(ii) located near the residence of the eligi-
ble dependent. 
‘‘(3) In developing and revising materials used in out-
reach services under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
consult with entities including the following: 
‘‘(A) Veterans service organizations recognized 
under section 5902 of this title. 
‘‘(B) The Advisory Committee on Women Vet-
erans established under section 542 of this title. 
‘‘(C) The Advisory Committee on Minority Vet-
erans established under section 544 of this title. 
‘‘(D) The Veterans’ Family, Caregiver, and 
Survivor Advisory Committee of the Department, or 
successor advisory committee.’’. 
(c) PERSONNEL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall establish at least 5, but not more than 10, full-time 
equivalent positions at call centers of the Department of 
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