II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1047 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 4, 2019 Mr. Tester (for himself, Ms. Hirono , and Mr. Blumenthal ) 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 create a dependency and indemnity compensation allowance for surviving spouses receiving dependency and indemnity compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Improvement Act of 2019 . 2. Dependency and indemnity compensation allowance for surviving spouses receiving dependency and indemnity compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (a) Allowance (1) In general Subchapter II of chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1311 the following new section: 1311A. Dependency and indemnity compensation allowance for surviving spouses A dependency and indemnity compensation allowance shall be paid to a surviving spouse who is entitled to receive dependency and indemnity compensation under section 1311(a) of this title at the monthly rate equal to the amount by which— (1) the amount that is 55 percent of the rate of monthly compensation in effect under section 1114(j) of this title, exceeds (2) the amount of dependency and indemnity compensation the surviving spouse is entitled to receive under section 1311(a) of this title. . (2) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 13 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1311 the following new item: 1311A. Dependency and indemnity compensation allowance for surviving spouses. . (b) Rule of construction Nothing in section 1311A of such title, as added by subsection (a)(1), shall be construed to have an effect on any amount of payment under section 1450 of title 10, United States Code.