Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2019

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 4748 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. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OCTOBER 18, 2019 Mr. CISNEROS (for himself and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend increased dependency and indemnity compensation paid to sur- viving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, regardless of how long the veterans had such disease prior to death. 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 ‘‘Justice for ALS Vet- 4 erans Act of 2019’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:52 Oct 24, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4748.IH H4748 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 4748 IH SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF INCREASED DEPENDENCY AND IN- 1 DEMNITY COMPENSATION TO SURVIVING 2 SPOUSES OF VETERANS WHO DIE FROM 3 AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS. 4 (a) EXTENSION.—Section 1311(a)(2) of title 38, 5 United States Code, is amended— 6 (1) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ before ‘‘The rate’’; and 7 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub- 8 paragraph: 9 ‘‘(B) A veteran whom the Secretary determines died 10 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis shall be treated as a 11 veteran described in subparagraph (A) without regard for 12 how long the veteran had such disease prior to death.’’. 13 (b) APPLICABILITY.—Subparagraph (B) of section 14 1311(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, as added by 15 subsection (a), shall apply to a veteran who dies from 16 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on or after October 1, 2019. 17 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:52 Oct 24, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H4748.IH H4748 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS