Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2021

Bill: 117-hr-5607
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI-8]
Introduced: 2021-10-19
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Marriage and family status

Neurological disorders

Veterans' pensions and compensation
Latest action: action_date: 2021-11-04
text: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-10-19
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2021</b></p> <p>This bill extends increased dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouse of a veteran who dies from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) regardless of how long the veteran had such disease prior to death. Under current law, such compensation is paid for a service-connected disability that was rated totally disabling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately preceding death.</p> <p>For purposes of this bill, a<em> surviving spouse</em> is a person who was married to the veteran for a continuous period of eight years or longer prior to the veteran's death.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5607 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 19, 2021 Ms. Slotkin (for herself and Mr. Fitzpatrick ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend increased dependency and indemnity compensation paid to surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, regardless of how long the veterans had such disease prior to death.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2021 . 2. Extension of increased dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a) Extension Section 1311(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by inserting (A) before The rate ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (B) A veteran who died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis shall be treated as a veteran described in subparagraph (A) without regard for how long the veteran had such disease prior to death. (C) For purposes of the payment of compensation under this subsection by reason of the death of veteran described in subparagraph (B), the term surviving spouse means a person who was married to the veteran for a continuous period of eight years or longer prior to the death of the veteran. . (b) Applicability Subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 1311(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply to a veteran who dies from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on or after October 1, 2021.