,i  #aadth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #beci  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,may #ba1 #bjae ,mr4 
,kennedy introduced the following bill2 
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to provide for an increase in the amount
 of monthly dependency and indemnity    
compensation payable to surviving       
spouses by the ,secretary of ,veterans  
,affairs4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,surviving ,spouses'
 ,benefit ,improvement ,act of #bjae4   
#b4 ,increase in amount of dependency   
and indemnity compensation payable to   
surviving spouses by the ,secretary of  
,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,increase       
,section #acaa of title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 is amended--  7#a7 in    
subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71
 by striking of #a1aed and inserting    
equal to #ee percent of the rate of     
monthly compensation in effect under    
section #aaad7;j7 of this title2 and    

7,b7 by striking paragraph 7#c72 and    
7#b7 by adding at the end the following 
new subsection3  7g7 ,in the case of an 
individual who is eligible for          
dependency and indemnity compensation   
under this section who is also eligible 
for benefits under another provision of 
law by reason of such individual's      
status as the surviving spouse of a     
veteran1 then1 notwithstanding any other
 provision of law 7other than section   
#ecjd7;b77#c7 of this title71 neither a 
reduction nor an offset in benefits     
under such provision shall be made by   
reason of such individual's eligibility 
for benefits under this section4  4  7b7
 ,effective date  7#a7 ,in general      
,except as provided by paragraph 7#b71  
the amendments made by subsection 7a7   
shall apply with respect to compensation
 paid under chapter #ac of title #ch1   
,united ,states ,code1 for months       
beginning after the date that is six    
months after the date of the enactment  
of this ,act4  7#b7 ,special rule for   

certain individuals  7,a7 ,for months   
beginning after the date that is six    
months after the date of the enactment  
of this ,act1 the ,secretary of         
,veterans ,affairs shall pay to an      
individual described in subparagraph    
7,b7 dependency and indemnity           
compensation under section #acaa of     
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 in the
 monthly amount that is the greater of  
the following3 7i7 ,the amount          
determined under subsection 7a77#c7 of  
such section #acaa1 as in effect on the 
day before the date of the enactment of 
this ,act4  7ii7 ,the amount determined 
under subsection 7a77#a7 of such section
 #acaa1 as amended by subsection 7a74   
7,b7 ,an individual described in this   
subparagraph is an individual eligible  
for dependency and indemnity            
compensation under section #acaa of     
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 that  
is predicated on the death of a veteran 
before ,january #a1 #aiic4