[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2243 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2243

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in 
the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to 
        surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 5, 2009

Mr. Buyer (for himself, Mr. Walz, Mr. Roe of Tennessee, Mr. Bachus, Mr. 
   Pierluisi, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. 
Rooney, Mrs. Bono Mack, Mr. Kline of Minnesota, Mr. Putnam, Mr. Lincoln 
Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. Hall of 
 New York, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. 
    Calvert, Mr. McMahon, Mr. Jones, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. 
 Michaud, and Mr. Donnelly of Indiana) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in 
the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to 
        surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

    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 ``Surviving Spouses' Benefit 
Improvement Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION 
              PAYABLE TO SURVIVING SPOUSES BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    (a) Increase.--Section 1311 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``of $1,091'' and 
                inserting ``equal to 55 percent of the rate of monthly 
                compensation in effect under section 1114(j) of this 
                title''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) by striking ``$1,067'' each place it 
                        appears and inserting ``$1,292'';
                            (ii) by striking ``1,104'' and inserting 
                        ``$1,337'';
                            (iii) by striking ``$1,165'' both places it 
                        appears and inserting ``$1,411'';
                            (iv) by striking ``$1,215'' and inserting 
                        ``$1,472'';
                            (v) by striking ``$1,128'' both places it 
                        appears and inserting ``$1,365'';
                            (vi) by striking ``$1,172'' and inserting 
                        ``$1,419'';
                            (vii) by striking ``$1,207'' and inserting 
                        ``$1,462'';
                            (viii) by striking ``$1,276'' and inserting 
                        ``$1,546'';
                            (ix) by striking ``$1,246'' and inserting 
                        ``$1,509'';
                            (x) by striking ``$1,319'' and inserting 
                        ``$1,598'';
                            (xi) by striking ``$1,452'' and inserting 
                        ``$1,760'';
                            (xii) by striking ``$1,637'' and inserting 
                        ``$1,984'';
                            (xiii) by striking ``$1,768'' and inserting 
                        ``$2,141'';
                            (xiv) by striking ``$1,941'' and inserting 
                        ``$2,352'';
                            (xv) by striking ``$2,076'' and inserting 
                        ``$2,516'';
                            (xvi) by striking ``$2,276'' and inserting 
                        ``$2,759'';
                            (xvii) by striking ``$1,342'' and inserting 
                        ``$1,589''; and
                            (xviii) by striking ``$2,499'' and 
                        inserting ``$2,960''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(g) In the case of an individual who is eligible for dependency 
and indemnity compensation under this section who is also eligible for 
benefits under another provision of law by reason of such individual's 
status as the surviving spouse of a veteran, then, notwithstanding any 
other provision of law (other than section 5304(b)(3) of this title), 
neither a reduction nor an offset in benefits under such provision 
shall be made by reason of such individual's eligibility for benefits 
under this section.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--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 6 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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