[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 735 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 735

    To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve benefits and 
    assistance provided to surviving spouses of veterans under laws 
   administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 16, 2013

  Mr. Sanders 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 improve benefits and 
    assistance provided to surviving spouses of veterans under laws 
   administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 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 ``Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 
2013''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF INITIAL PERIOD FOR INCREASED DEPENDENCY AND 
              INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES WITH 
              CHILDREN.

    Section 1311(f)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``two-year'' and inserting ``five-year''.

SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION, HEALTH 
              CARE, AND HOUSING LOANS FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES WHO REMARRY 
              AFTER AGE 55.

    Subparagraph (B) of section 103(d)(2) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
    ``(B) The remarriage after age 55 of the surviving spouse of a 
veteran shall not bar the furnishing of benefits specified in paragraph 
(5) to such person as the surviving spouse of the veteran.''.

SEC. 4. BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN OF CERTAIN THAILAND SERVICE VETERANS BORN 
              WITH SPINA BIFIDA.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 18 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand service veterans 
              born with spina bifida
    ``(a) Benefits Authorized.--The Secretary may provide to any child 
of a veteran of covered service in Thailand who is suffering from spina 
bifida the health care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and 
monetary allowance required to be paid to a child of a Vietnam veteran 
who is suffering from spina bifida under subchapter I of this chapter 
as if such child of a veteran of covered service in Thailand were a 
child of a Vietnam veteran who is suffering from spina bifida under 
such subchapter.
    ``(b) Spina Bifida Conditions Covered.--This section applies with 
respect to all forms and manifestations of spina bifida, except spina 
bifida occulta.
    ``(c) Veteran of Covered Service in Thailand.--For purposes of this 
section, a veteran of covered service in Thailand is any individual, 
without regard to the characterization of that individual's service, 
who--
            ``(1) served in the active military, naval, or air service 
        in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary in consultation 
        with the Secretary of Defense, during the period beginning on 
        January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975; and
            ``(2) is determined by the Secretary, in consultation with 
        the Secretary of Defense, to have been exposed to a herbicide 
        agent during such service in Thailand.
    ``(d) Herbicide Agent.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`herbicide agent' means a chemical in a herbicide used in support of 
United States and allied military operations in Thailand, as determined 
by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, during 
the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--
            (1) Subchapter heading.--The heading for subchapter III of 
        chapter 18 of such title is amended by inserting ``AND 
        THAILAND'' after ``KOREA''.
            (2) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 18 of such title is amended--
                    (A) by striking the item relating to subchapter III 
                and inserting the following new item:

   ``subchapter iii--children of certain korea and thailand service 
                   veterans born with spina bifida'';

        and
                    (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 
                1821 the following new item:

``1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand service veterans born 
                            with spina bifida.''.

SEC. 5. PILOT PROGRAM ON GRIEF COUNSELING IN RETREAT SETTINGS FOR 
              SURVIVING SPOUSES OF VETERANS WHO DIE WHILE SERVING ON 
              ACTIVE DUTY IN THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) Pilot Program Required.--
            (1) In general.--Commencing not later than 180 days after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall carry out, through the Readjustment 
        Counseling Service of the Veterans Health Administration, a 
        pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of 
        providing grief counseling services described in subsection (b) 
        in group retreat settings to surviving spouses of veterans who 
        die while serving on active duty in the Armed Forces.
            (2) Participation at election of surviving spouse.--The 
        participation of a surviving spouse in the pilot program under 
        this section shall be at the election of the surviving spouse.
    (b) Covered Services.--The services provided to a surviving spouse 
under the pilot program shall include the following:
            (1) Information and counseling on coping with grief.
            (2) Information about benefits and services available to 
        surviving spouses under laws administered by the Secretary.
            (3) Such other information and counseling as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate to assist a surviving spouse under the 
        pilot program with adjusting to the death of a spouse.
    (c) Locations.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program at 
not fewer than six locations as follows:
            (1) Three locations at which surviving spouses with 
        dependent children are encouraged to bring their children.
            (2) Three locations at which surviving spouses with 
        dependent children are not encouraged to bring their children.
    (d) Duration.--The pilot program shall be carried out during the 
two-year period beginning on the date of the commencement of the pilot 
program.
    (e) Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        completion of the first year of the pilot program and not later 
        than 180 days after the completion of the pilot program, the 
        Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the pilot 
        program.
            (2) Contents.--Each report submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall contain the findings and conclusions of the Secretary as 
        a result of the pilot program, and shall include such 
        recommendations for the continuation or expansion of the pilot 
        program as the Secretary considers appropriate.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``active duty'', 
``surviving spouse'', and ``veteran'' have the meanings given such 
terms in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
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