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Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend increased dependency and indemnity compensation paid to surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, regardless of how long the veterans had such disease prior to death.
Summary
This bill extends increased Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) to surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), regardless of how long the veteran had the disease before death. Currently, eligibility for increased DIC may depend on the duration of the disease; this bill removes that requirement for ALS-related deaths. Surviving spouses must have been married to the veteran for at least eight years prior to the veteran's death to receive the increased compensation. The provision applies to veterans who die from ALS on or after October 1, 2025. The bill also requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a report within 180 days identifying other service-connected disabilities with high mortality rates that should be treated similarly to ALS.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
31 cosponsors
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC)
- Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large] (D-VT)
- Rep. Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5] (R-WA)
- Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (D-CA)
- Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13] (D-IL)
- Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41] (R-CA)
- Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6] (D-CO)
- Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (D-WA)
- Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ)
- Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6] (D-PA)
- Rep. Hunt, Wesley [R-TX-38] (R-TX)
- Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7] (R-NJ)
- Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16] (R-PA)
- Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2] (D-WA)
- Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3] (D-NV)
- Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] (D-CA)
- Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2] (D-RI)
- Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7] (D-CA)
- Rep. Mills, Cory [R-FL-7] (R-FL)
- Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO)
- Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] (D-CA)
- Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] (D-NH)
- Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7] (D-CO)
- Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5] (D-IL)
- Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19] (D-NY)
- Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2] (D-NC)
- Rep. Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10] (D-IL)
- Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2] (D-HI)
- Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2] (R-NJ)
- Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2] (D-NM)
- Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7] (D-VA)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Brian K. Fitzpatrick’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Brian K. Fitzpatrick → · Outside spending →
Actions (4)
- Feb 3, 2026 Subcommittee Hearings Held · house
- Mar 27, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. · house
- Feb 27, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · house
- Feb 27, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 27, 2025
Mr. Fitzpatrick (for himself and Mr. Pappas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend increased dependency and indemnity compensation paid to surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, regardless of how long the veterans had such disease prior to death.
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 “Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF INCREASED DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION TO SURVIVING SPOUSES OF VETERANS WHO DIE FROM AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS.
(a) Extension.—Section 1311(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by inserting “(A)” before “The rate”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(B) A veteran who died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis shall be treated as a veteran described in subparagraph (A) without regard for how long the veteran had such disease prior to death.
“(C) For purposes of the payment of compensation under this subsection by reason of the death of veteran described in subparagraph
(B), the term ‘surviving spouse’ means a person who was married to the veteran for a continuous period of eight years or longer prior to the death of the veteran.”.
(b) Applicability.—Subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 1311(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply to a veteran who dies from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on or after October 1, 2025.
SEC. 3. REPORT ON ADDITIONAL MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
(a) Report Required.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report that includes an identification of any service- connected disability, other than amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, that the Secretary determines should be treated in the same manner as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is treated under subparagraphs (B) and
(C) of section 1311(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 2.
(b) Contents.—The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1) A comprehensive list of service-connected disabilities with high mortality rates.
(2) Detailed information on the average life expectancy for persons with each such disability. <all>
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