IIB 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3123 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
FEBRUARY 3, 2026 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
AN ACT 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 
improvements to laws relating to the payment of certain 
benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs that are affected by death, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ernest Peltz Accrued 
Veterans Benefits Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PAYMENT BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
OF PENSION AFTER DEATH OF A VETERAN IN 
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 51 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting, after section 5121A, 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 5121B. Payment of pension after death of a veteran 
in certain circumstances 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), if the 
Secretary issues a decision awarding entitlement to a pen-
sion to a veteran before the death of such veteran, and 
the Secretary issues payment of such pension after the 
veteran dies, such pension that was due and unpaid at 
the time of the veteran’s death shall be paid to the first 
living person or entity listed below: 
‘‘(1) The veteran’s spouse. 
‘‘(2) The veteran’s children (in equal shares). 
‘‘(3) The veteran’s dependent parents (in equal 
shares). 
‘‘(4) The estate of the deceased veteran unless 
the estate will escheat. 
‘‘(b) LIMITATION.—In a case described in subsection 
(a), if no application is filed under section 5121 of this 
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title during the one-year period following the death of the 
veteran, the pension described in such subsection shall be 
paid to the estate of the deceased veteran unless the estate 
will escheat.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
5121(a) of such title is amended, in the matter pre-
ceding paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘section 5121B 
of this title, or’’ before ‘‘sections 3329 and 3330’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by inserting, after the item relating to section 
5121A, the following new item: 
‘‘5121B. Payment of pension after death of a veteran in certain circumstances.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to the death of a vet-
eran that occurs on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
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SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF 
PENSION. 
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘January 31, 2033’’ and inserting 
‘‘February 28, 2033’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives February 2, 
2026. 
Attest: 
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 
Clerk. 
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