Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1685 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1685

 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.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 27, 2025

 Mr. Fitzpatrick (for himself and Mr. Pappas) 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 surviving 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 Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF INCREASED DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION TO 
              SURVIVING SPOUSES OF VETERANS WHO DIE FROM AMYOTROPHIC 
              LATERAL SCLEROSIS.

    (a) Extension.--Section 1311(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``The rate''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(B) A veteran who died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis shall 
be treated as a veteran described in subparagraph (A) without regard 
for how long the veteran had such disease prior to death.
    ``(C) For purposes of the payment of compensation under this 
subsection by reason of the death of veteran described in subparagraph 
(B), the term `surviving spouse' means a person who was married to the 
veteran for a continuous period of eight years or longer prior to the 
death of the veteran.''.
    (b) Applicability.--Subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 1311(a)(2) 
of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall 
apply to a veteran who dies from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on or 
after October 1, 2025.

SEC. 3. REPORT ON ADDITIONAL MEDICAL CONDITIONS.

    (a) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to Congress a report that includes an identification of any service-
connected disability, other than amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, that 
the Secretary determines should be treated in the same manner as 
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is treated under subparagraphs (B) and 
(C) of section 1311(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
section 2.
    (b) Contents.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) A comprehensive list of service-connected disabilities 
        with high mortality rates.
            (2) Detailed information on the average life expectancy for 
        persons with each such disability.
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