Caring for Survivors Act of 2025
Caring for Survivors Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Caring for Survivors Act of 2025 - Plain Language Summary **What the Bill Does:** This bill would increase monthly financial payments to surviving family members of veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Specifically, it raises "dependency and indemnity compensation"—monthly benefits paid to spouses, children, or parents of veterans who died from service-related conditions or were severely disabled by military service. The bill also makes it easier for survivors to qualify: it cuts the waiting period for eligibility from 10 years to 5 years of a veteran being totally disabled due to a service-connected condition. **Who It Affects:** The bill primarily affects surviving spouses, children, and parents of deceased or severely disabled veterans.
These families currently receive monthly support from the VA, and the bill would increase those payments. It also expands eligibility to include families of veterans who were totally disabled for 5-10 years (previously they needed 10 years to qualify). **Current Status:** The bill was introduced by Representative Jahana Hayes (D-Connecticut) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House. No companion bill in the Senate has been identified in the information provided.
CRS Official Summary
Caring for Survivors Act of 2025This bill increases the monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).Dependency and indemnity compensation is a monthly payment made to eligible survivors (i.e., spouses, parents, or children) of (1) certain veterans who died as a result of a service-connected condition; (2) service members killed while on active military duty or active or inactive duty for training; or (3) veterans who did not die from a service-connected condition, but were totally disabled by a service-connected disability for a certain period of time.The bill also (1) reduces, from 10 years to 5 years, the period of time that certain veterans must have been rated totally disabled due to a service-connected disability in order for a survivor to qualify for benefits; and (2) specifies the amount that is payable to survivors of veterans who were rated totally disabled for a period of less than 10 years before their death.
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