[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 598 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 598

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase certain funeral 
             benefits for veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 28, 2019

 Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Rubio) 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 increase certain funeral 
             benefits for veterans, 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 ``Burial Rights for America's 
Veterans' Efforts Act of 2019'' or the ``BRAVE Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE TO CERTAIN FUNERAL BENEFITS UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY 
              THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Funeral Expenses.--Section 2302(a) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in the matter after paragraph (2)(B), by striking 
        ``$300'' and inserting ``$780 (as increased from time to time 
        under subsection (c))''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide 
a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) in the maximum 
amount of burial and funeral expenses payable under subsection (a) 
equal to the percentage by which--
            ``(1) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States 
        city average) for the 12-month period ending on the June 30 
        preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the 
        increase is made, exceeds
            ``(2) the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period 
        preceding the 12-month period described in paragraph (1).''.
    (b) Death From Service-Connected Disability.--Section 2307 of such 
title is amended--
            (1) by striking ``In any case'' and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(a) In General.--In any case'';
            (2) in subsection (a), as designated by paragraph (1), by 
        striking ``$2,000'' and inserting ``$2,000 (as increased from 
        time to time under subsection (b))''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(b) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide 
a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) in the maximum 
amount of burial and funeral expenses payable under subsection (a) 
equal to the percentage by which--
            ``(1) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States 
        city average) for the 12-month period ending on the June 30 
        preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the 
        increase is made, exceeds
            ``(2) the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period 
        preceding the 12-month period described in paragraph (1).''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply to 
deaths that occur after the date that is one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
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