,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #ajdg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,april #d1     
#bjai,mr4 ,tester 7for himself1 ,ms4    
,hirono1 and ,mr4 ,blumenthal7          
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a   
,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 to create a dependency   
and indemnity compensation allowance for
 surviving spouses receiving dependency 
and indemnity compensation from the     
,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and  
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the          
,dependency and ,indemnity ,compensation
 ,improvement ,act of #bjai4  #b4       
,dependency and indemnity compensation  
allowance for surviving spouses         
receiving dependency and indemnity      
compensation from the ,department of    
,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,allowance  7#a7
 ,in general ,subchapter ,,ii of chapter
 #ac of title #ch1 ,united ,states      

,code1 is amended by inserting after    
section #acaa the following new section3
  #acaa;,a4 ,dependency and indemnity   
compensation allowance for surviving    
spouses ,a dependency and indemnity     
compensation allowance shall be paid to 
a surviving spouse who is entitled to   
receive dependency and indemnity        
compensation under section #acaa7;a7 of 
this title at the monthly rate equal to 
the amount by which-- 7#a7 the amount   
that is #ee percent of the rate of      
monthly compensation in effect under    
section #aaad7;j7 of this title1 exceeds
  7#b7 the amount of dependency and     
indemnity compensation the surviving    
spouse is entitled to receive under     
section #acaa7;a7 of this title4  4     
7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of  
sections at the beginning of chapter #ac
 of such title is amended by inserting  
after the item relating to section #acaa
 the following new item3  #acaa;,a4     
,dependency and indemnity compensation  
allowance for surviving spouses4  4  7b7

 ,rule of construction ,nothing in      
section #acaa;,a of such title1 as added
 by subsection 7a77#a71 shall be        
construed to have an effect on any      
amount of payment under section #adej of
 title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4