[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2539 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2539

 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 21, 2015

 Mr. Kennedy 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 2015''.

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 $1,154'' and 
                inserting ``equal to 55 percent of the rate of monthly 
                compensation in effect under section 1114(j) of this 
                title''; and
                    (B) by striking paragraph (3); 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.--
            (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) dependency and 
                indemnity compensation 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 dependency and indemnity 
                compensation under section 1311 of title 38, United 
                States Code, that is predicated on the death of a 
                veteran before January 1, 1993.
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