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 in-
demnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
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 ‘‘Surviving Spouses’ 
Benefit Improvement Act of 2015’’. 
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SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF DEPENDENCY AND IN-
DEMNITY COMPENSATION PAYABLE TO SUR-
VIVING SPOUSES BY THE SECRETARY OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) INCREASE.—Section 1311 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘of 
$1,154’’ and inserting ‘‘equal to 55 percent of 
the rate of monthly compensation in effect 
under section 1114(j) of this title’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (3); and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(g) In the case of an individual who is eligible for 
dependency and indemnity compensation under this sec-
tion who is also eligible for benefits under another provi-
sion of law by reason of such individual’s status as the 
surviving spouse of a veteran, then, notwithstanding any 
other provision of law (other than section 5304(b)(3) of 
this title), neither a reduction nor an offset in benefits 
under such provision shall be made by reason of such indi-
vidual’s eligibility for benefits under this section.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided by para-
graph (2), the amendments made by subsection (a) 
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shall apply with respect to compensation paid under 
chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, for 
months beginning after the date that is six months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) SPECIAL
RULE
FOR
CERTAIN
INDIVID-
UALS.— 
(A) For months beginning after the date 
that is six months after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall pay to an individual described in sub-
paragraph (B) dependency and indemnity com-
pensation under section 1311 of title 38, United 
States Code, in the monthly amount that is the 
greater of the following: 
(i) The amount determined under sub-
section (a)(3) of such section 1311, as in 
effect on the day before the date of the en-
actment of this Act. 
(ii) The amount determined under 
subsection (a)(1) of such section 1311, as 
amended by subsection (a). 
(B) An individual described in this sub-
paragraph is an individual eligible for depend-
ency and indemnity compensation under section 
1311 of title 38, United States Code, that is 
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predicated on the death of a veteran before 
January 1, 1993. 
Æ 
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