3.0.0 89 2023-01-11T13:47:28Z 2023-01-11T13:47:28Z Senate S 2021-01-28 117 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Standing Reported by 2021-06-24T18:02:51Z Markup by 2021-05-26T19:00:06Z Hearings by 2021-04-28T19:00:34Z Referred to 2021-01-28T19:47:28Z Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID–19 Act of 2021 117 746 HR 2021-03-16 Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Identical bill CRS 2021-07-26 14:38:41 Held at the desk. Floor H15000 2 House floor actions 2021-07-26 14:02:20 Received in the House. Floor H14000 2 House floor actions 2021-07-26 Senate Message on Senate action sent to the House. Floor 2021-07-21 Senate Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5023; text: CR S5023) Floor 2021-07-21 Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S5023; text: CR S5023) Floor 17000 9 Library of Congress 2021-06-24 Senate Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 83. Calendars 2021-06-24 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Tester with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report. Committee 2021-06-24 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Tester with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report. Committee 14000 9 Library of Congress ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee 2021-05-26 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably. Committee 2021-04-28 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Committee 2021-01-28 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. IntroReferral 2021-01-28 Introduced in Senate IntroReferral 10000 9 Library of Congress S001191 Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ] Kyrsten Sinema D AZ N T000476 Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] Thomas Tillis R NC Roland 2021-01-28 True S001181 Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH] Jeanne Shaheen D NH 2021-01-28 True B001236 Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR] John Boozman R AR 2021-01-28 True B001277 Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] Richard Blumenthal D CT 2021-01-28 True W000817 Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] Elizabeth Warren D MA A. 2021-01-28 True C001088 Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] Christopher Coons D DE A. 2021-01-28 True M001183 Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV] Joseph Manchin D WV 2021-02-23 False R000122 Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] John Reed D RI F. 2021-03-02 False C001035 Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] Susan Collins R ME M. 2021-03-02 False M000133 Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] Edward Markey D MA J. 2021-03-10 False W000437 Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] Roger Wicker R MS F. 2021-03-23 False W000802 Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] Sheldon Whitehouse D RI 2021-03-23 False K000377 Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ] Mark Kelly D AZ 2021-05-11 False P000595 Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] Gary Peters D MI 2021-05-11 False B001230 Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] Tammy Baldwin D WI 2021-05-18 False H001076 Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH] Maggie Hassan D NH 2021-05-26 False K000383 Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME] Angus King I ME S. 2021-06-08 False 2021-09-10T15:04:00Z S. 89, Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021 https://www.cbo.gov/publication/57459 As passed by the Senate on July 21, 2021 Armed Forces and National Security Cardiovascular and respiratory health Disability and paralysis Emergency medical services and trauma care Health information and medical records Infectious and parasitic diseases Medical tests and diagnostic methods Veterans' medical care Veterans' pensions and compensation Armed Forces and National Security 00 2021-01-28 Introduced in Senate 2021-02-25T12:26:56Z Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to get a medical opinion to determine if a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death in situations where a veteran's death certificate identifies COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) as the principal or contributory cause of death, the certificate does not clearly identify any of the veteran's service-connected disabilities as the principal or contributory cause of death, and a claim for dependency and indemnity compensation is filed with respect to the veteran.

]]> 25 2021-06-24 Reported to Senate 2021-07-27T15:06:12Z Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to obtain a medical opinion that determines whether a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death for a veteran who died from COVID-19.

Specifically, the VA must obtain this determination before notifying a claimant for survivor benefits of the final decision regarding such benefits in any case where

  • a dependency and indemnity compensation claim is filed in relation to a veteran with one or more service-connected disabilities who dies,
  • the death certificate for the veteran identifies COVID-19 as the principal or contributory cause of death,
  • the death certificate does not clearly identify any of the service-connected disabilities as the principal or contributory cause of death,
  • the veteran's service-connected disability includes a condition more likely to cause severe illness from COVID-19,
  • the claimant is not entitled to certain dependency and indemnity compensation benefits, and
  • the evidence to support the claim does not result in a preliminary finding in favor of the claimant.

The VA must provide information to veterans, their dependents, and veterans service organizations about applying for dependency and indemnity compensation when a veteran dies from COVID-19. Such information must be available through the VA's website and via other outreach mechanisms.

]]> 55 2021-07-21 Passed Senate 2021-07-27T15:48:39Z Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to obtain a medical opinion that determines whether a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death for a veteran who died from COVID-19.

Specifically, the VA must obtain this determination before notifying a claimant for survivor benefits of the final decision regarding such benefits in any case where

  • a dependency and indemnity compensation claim is filed in relation to a veteran with one or more service-connected disabilities who dies,
  • the death certificate for the veteran identifies COVID-19 as the principal or contributory cause of death,
  • the death certificate does not clearly identify any of the service-connected disabilities as the principal or contributory cause of death,
  • the veteran's service-connected disability includes a condition more likely to cause severe illness from COVID-19,
  • the claimant is not entitled to certain dependency and indemnity compensation benefits, and
  • the evidence to support the claim does not result in a preliminary finding in favor of the claimant.

The VA must provide information to veterans, their dependents, and veterans service organizations about applying for dependency and indemnity compensation when a veteran dies from COVID-19. Such information must be available through the VA's website and via other outreach mechanisms.

]]> Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021 Display Title Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021 Official Title as Introduced A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to secure medical opinions for veterans with service-connected disabilities who die from COVID-19 to determine whether their service-connected disabilities were the principal or contributory causes of death, and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate IS Short Title(s) as Reported to Senate Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID–19 Act of 2021 S Senate Reported to Senate RS Short Title(s) as Passed Senate Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID–19 Act of 2021 S Senate Engrossed in Senate ES Short Title(s) as Introduced Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID–19 Act of 2021 Introduced in Senate IS Short Titles as Passed Senate Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021 S Senate Engrossed in Senate 2021-07-21T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-117s89es/xml/BILLS-117s89es.xml Reported to Senate 2021-06-24T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-117s89rs/xml/BILLS-117s89rs.xml Introduced in Senate 2021-01-28T05:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-117s89is/xml/BILLS-117s89is.xml 2021-07-26 Held at the desk. 14:38:41 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.