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Caring for Survivors Act of 2025
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve and to expand eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation paid to certain survivors of certain veterans, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill expands and increases Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits for survivors of veterans. It increases the benefit amount for surviving spouses from a fixed amount to 55 percent of the monthly compensation rate for totally disabled veterans, effective six months after enactment. For survivors whose benefits are based on a veteran's death before January 1, 1993, the bill guarantees they receive whichever is greater: their current benefit amount or the new increased amount. The bill also reduces the continuous disability rating requirement for survivor benefits from 10 years to 5 years and provides for prorated benefits for veterans with less than 10 years of continuous total disability ratings at the time of death.
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)
7 cosponsors
- Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (D-WI)
- Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR] (R-AR)
- Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (D-IL)
- Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ] (D-NJ)
- Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (D-WA)
- Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (I-VT)
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Richard Blumenthal’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT $9,500
- FREEPOINT COMMODITIES LLC $6,600
- ALIX PARTNERS $6,600
- PALANTIR $6,600
- KRUX INC. $6,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Richard Blumenthal → · Outside spending →
Actions (3)
- Mar 11, 2025 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 119-35. · senate
- Feb 18, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · senate
- Feb 18, 2025 Introduced in Senate
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.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 18, 2025
Mr. Blumenthal (for himself and Mr. Boozman) 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 and to expand eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation paid to certain survivors of certain 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 “Caring for Survivors Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES.
(a) Increase.—Section 1311(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 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”.
(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) In general.—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) dependents and survivors income security benefit 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) Individuals described.—An individual described in this subparagraph is an individual eligible for dependents and survivors income security benefit under section 1311 of title 38, United States Code, that is predicated on the death of a veteran before January 1, 1993.
SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR SURVIVORS OF CERTAIN VETERANS RATED TOTALLY DISABLED AT TIME OF DEATH.
Section 1318 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) by striking “The Secretary” and inserting
“(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary”; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(2) In any case in which the Secretary makes a payment under paragraph (1) of this subsection by reason of subsection (b)(1) and the period of continuous rating immediately preceding death is less than 10 years, the amount payable under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be an amount that bears the same relationship to the amount otherwise payable under such paragraph as the duration of such period bears to 10 years.”; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking “10 or more years” and inserting “five or more years”. <all>
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