1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Improvement Act of 2017 . 2. Increase in amount of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (a) Increase Section 1311(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) 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