HR 1685
Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025
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Bill overview
This bill, the Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025, expands benefits for surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Specifically, it extends increased dependency and indemnity compensation to these spouses, regardless of how long the veteran had ALS before their death, provided they were married for at least eight years. The Department of Veterans Affairs will also conduct a report identifying other service-connected disabilities with high mortality rates and average life expectancies.
Key provisions
- Extends increased dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving spouses of ALS veterans.
- Waives the requirement that the veteran’s ALS diagnosis must have been rated as totally disabling for at least eight years prior to death.
- Requires a continuous eight-year marriage between the veteran and surviving spouse.
- The extension applies to deaths on or after October 1, 2025.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs must report on other service-connected disabilities with high mortality rates.
- The report will include average life expectancies for those disabilities.
Who is affected
- Surviving spouses of veterans
- Veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Congress
Notable changes
- Changes the criteria for eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses of ALS veterans.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Becca [D-VT-At Large] Balint
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 1685
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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.
This Act may be cited as the Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025
.
Section 1311(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(A)before
The rate; and
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
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.
A comprehensive list of service-connected disabilities with high mortality rates.
Detailed information on the average life expectancy for persons with each such disability.