#aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  ,s4   
#hi  ,,an ,,act  ,to require the        
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to     
secure medical opinions for veterans    
with service-connected disabilities who 
die from ,,covid-#ai to determine       
whether their service-connected         
disabilities were the principal or      
contributory causes of death1 and for   
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,ensuring      
,survivor ,benefits during ,,covid-#ai  
,act of #bjba4  #b4 ,medical opinions   
for certain veterans with               
service-connected disabilities who die  
of ,,covid-#ai  7a7 ,in general ,the    
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
secure a medical opinion to determine if
 a service-connected disability was the 
principal or contributory cause of death
 before notifying the survivor of the   
final decision in any case in which all 
of the following factors are met3 7#a7  
,a claim for compensation is filed under
 chapter #ac of title #ch1 ,unites      

,states ,code1 with respect to a veteran
 with one or more service-connected     
disabilities who dies4  7#b7 ,the death 
certificate for the veteran identifies  
,coronavirus ,disease #bjai             
7,,covid-#ai7 as the principal or       
contributory cause of death4  7#c7 ,the 
death certificate does not clearly      
identify any of the service-connected   
disabilities of the veteran as the      
principal or contributory cause of      
death4  7#d7 ,a service-connected       
disability of the veteran includes a    
condition more likely to cause severe   
illness from ,,covid-#ai as determined  
by the ,centers for ,disease ,control   
and ,prevention4  7#e7 ,the claimant is 
not entitled to benefits under section  
#acah of such title4  7#f7 ,the evidence
 to support the claim does not result in
 a preliminary finding in favor of the  
claimant4  7b7 ,outreach ,the ,secretary
 shall provide information to veterans1 
dependents1 and veterans service        
organizations about applying to         

dependency and indemnity compensation   
when a veteran dies from ,,covid-#ai4   
,the ,secretary shall provide such      
information through the website of the  
,department of ,veterans ,affairs and   
via other outreach mechanisms4  ,passed 
the ,senate ,july #ba1 #bjba4,secretary