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. JACKSON- 
LEE
of Texas, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. MCMAHON, Mr. JONES, Ms. 
BORDALLO, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. MICHAUD, and Mr. DONNELLY of Indi-
ana) 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 2009’’. 
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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 
$1,091’’ and inserting ‘‘equal to 55 percent of 
the rate of monthly compensation in effect 
under section 1114(j) of this title’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘$1,067’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘$1,292’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘1,104’’ and inserting 
‘‘$1,337’’; 
(iii) by striking ‘‘$1,165’’ both places 
it appears and inserting ‘‘$1,411’’; 
(iv) by striking ‘‘$1,215’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$1,472’’; 
(v) by striking ‘‘$1,128’’ both places 
it appears and inserting ‘‘$1,365’’; 
(vi) by striking ‘‘$1,172’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$1,419’’; 
(vii) by striking ‘‘$1,207’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$1,462’’; 
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(viii) by striking ‘‘$1,276’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$1,546’’; 
(ix) by striking ‘‘$1,246’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$1,509’’; 
(x) by striking ‘‘$1,319’’ and inserting 
‘‘$1,598’’; 
(xi) by striking ‘‘$1,452’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$1,760’’; 
(xii) by striking ‘‘$1,637’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$1,984’’; 
(xiii) by striking ‘‘$1,768’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$2,141’’; 
(xiv) by striking ‘‘$1,941’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$2,352’’; 
(xv) by striking ‘‘$2,076’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$2,516’’; 
(xvi) by striking ‘‘$2,276’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$2,759’’; 
(xvii) by striking ‘‘$1,342’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$1,589’’; and 
(xviii) by striking ‘‘$2,499’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$2,960’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
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