1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Surviving Spouses’ Benefit Improvement Act of 2014”.
Surviving Spouses’ Benefit Improvement Act of 2014
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.
2. Increase in amount of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
in subsection (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
in paragraph (3)—
by amending the table preceding the matter in footnotes 1 and 2 to read as follows:
in footnote 1, by striking “$1,419” and inserting “$1,698.38”; and
in footnote 2, by striking “$2,643” and inserting “3,164.85”; and
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.”
Effective date— 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.