I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 497 To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase certain veteran funeral benefits, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 11, 2019 Mr. HUNTER (for himself, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Mrs. DEMINGS, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. JONES, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. BUSTOS, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, and Mr. DEFAZIO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Sec- retary of Veterans Affairs to increase certain veteran funeral benefits, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Burial Rights for 4 America’s Veterans’ Efforts Act of 2019’’ or the ‘‘BRAVE 5 Act of 2019’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Jan 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H497.IH H497 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 497 IH SEC. 2. INCREASE TO CERTAIN FUNERAL BENEFITS UNDER 1 LAWS ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF 2 VETERANS AFFAIRS. 3 (a) FUNERAL EXPENSES.—Section 2302(a) of title 4 38, United States Code, is amended— 5 (1) by striking ‘‘$300’’ and inserting ‘‘$780 (as 6 increased from time to time under subsection (c))’’; 7 and 8 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub- 9 section: 10 ‘‘(c) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary 11 shall provide a percentage increase (rounded to the near- 12 est dollar) in the maximum amount of burial and funeral 13 expenses payable under subsection (a) equal to the per- 14 centage by which— 15 ‘‘(1) the Consumer Price Index (all items, 16 United States city average) for the 12-month period 17 ending on the June 30 preceding the beginning of 18 the fiscal year for which the increase is made, ex- 19 ceeds 20 ‘‘(2) the Consumer Price Index for the 12- 21 month period preceding the 12-month period de- 22 scribed in paragraph (1).’’. 23 (b) DEATH FROM SERVICE-CONNECTED DIS- 24 ABILITY.—Section 2307 of such title is amended— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Jan 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H497.IH H497 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 497 IH (1) by striking ‘‘In any case’’ and inserting the 1 following: 2 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In any case’’; 3 (2) by striking ‘‘$2,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$2,000 4 (as increased from time to time under subsection 5 (b))’’; and 6 (3) by adding at the end the following new sub- 7 section: 8 ‘‘(b) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary 9 shall provide a percentage increase (rounded to the near- 10 est dollar) in the maximum amount of burial and funeral 11 expenses payable under subsection (a) equal to the per- 12 centage by which— 13 ‘‘(1) the Consumer Price Index (all items, 14 United States city average) for the 12-month period 15 ending on the June 30 preceding the beginning of 16 the fiscal year for which the increase is made, ex- 17 ceeds 18 ‘‘(2) the Consumer Price Index for the 12- 19 month period preceding the 12-month period de- 20 scribed in paragraph (1).’’. 21 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 22 this Act shall apply to deaths that occur after the day that 23 is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 24 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Jan 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H497.IH H497 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS