Title: BRAVE Act of 2017
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Burial Rights for America's Veterans' Efforts Act of 2017 or the BRAVE Act of 2017
This bill increases the amounts payable through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for: (1) burial and funeral expenses of certain veterans, and (2) such expenses in connection with a veteran's death due to a service-connected disability.
The VA shall increase such amounts each fiscal year by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1596 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1596

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase certain funeral 
             benefits for veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 20, 2017

 Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Rubio) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase certain funeral 
             benefits for veterans, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Burial Rights for America's 
Veterans' Efforts Act of 2017'' or the ``BRAVE Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE TO CERTAIN FUNERAL BENEFITS UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY 
              THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Funeral Expenses.--Section 2302(a) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in the matter after paragraph (2)(B), by striking 
        ``$300'' and inserting ``$749 (as increased from time to time 
        under subsection (c))''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide 
a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) in the maximum 
amount of burial and funeral expenses payable under subsection (a) 
equal to the percentage by which--
            ``(1) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States 
        city average) for the 12-month period ending on the June 30 
        preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the 
        increase is made, exceeds
            ``(2) the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period 
        preceding the 12-month period described in paragraph (1).''.
    (b) Death From Service-Connected Disability.--Section 2307 of such 
title is amended--
            (1) by inserting striking ``In any case'' and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(a) In General.--In any case'';
            (2) in subsection (a), as designated by paragraph (1), by 
        striking ``$2,000'' and inserting ``$2,000 (as increased from 
        time to time under subsection (b))''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(b) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide 
a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) in the maximum 
amount of burial and funeral expenses payable under subsection (a) 
equal to the percentage by which--
            ``(1) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States 
        city average) for the 12-month period ending on the June 30 
        preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the 
        increase is made, exceeds
            ``(2) the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period 
        preceding the 12-month period described in paragraph (1).''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply to 
deaths that occur after the date that is one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
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