Title: Caring for Survivors Act of 2020
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Caring for Survivors Act of 2020
This bill increases the monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The bill also adjusts the amount payable to surviving spouses and children of veterans who were rated as totally disabled for a period of less than 10 years before their death.
Finally, the bill authorizes the furnishing of dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses who remarry after the age of 55.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6933 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6933

    To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve and to expand 
 eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation paid to certain 
                     survivors of certain veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 19, 2020

  Mr. Cox of California (for himself, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Yoho, Mr. Van 
Drew, and Mrs. Hayes) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                 to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve and to expand 
 eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation paid to certain 
                     survivors of certain veterans.

    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 ``Caring for Survivors Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR 
              SURVIVING SPOUSES.

    (a) Increase.--Section 1311(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended 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''.
    (b) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided by paragraph (2), the 
        amendments made by subsection (a) 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 individuals.--
                    (A) For months beginning after the date that is six 
                months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall pay to an 
                individual described in subparagraph (B) dependents and 
                survivors income security benefit 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 subsection 
                        (a)(3) of such section 1311, as in effect on 
                        the day before the date of the enactment 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 subparagraph is 
                an individual eligible for dependents and survivors 
                income security benefit under section 1311 of title 38, 
                United States Code, that is predicated on the death of 
                a veteran before January 1, 1993.

SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY 
              COMPENSATION FOR SURVIVORS OF CERTAIN VETERANS RATED 
              TOTALLY DISABLED AT TIME OF DEATH.

    Section 1318 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting 
                ``(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
                Secretary''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
    ``(2) In any case in which the Secretary makes a payment under 
paragraph (1) of this subsection by reason of subsection (b)(1) and the 
period of continuous rating immediately preceding death is less than 10 
years, the amount payable under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall 
be an amount that bears the same relationship to the amount otherwise 
payable under such paragraph as the duration of such period bears to 10 
years.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``10 or more years'' 
        and inserting ``five or more years''.

SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR 
              SURVIVING SPOUSES WHO REMARRY AFTER AGE 55.

    Section 103(d)(2)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended in 
the second sentence by inserting ``chapter 13 or'' after ``benefits 
under''.
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