A Gold Star spouse sits on a park bench holding a picture of her husband. (Photo: Staff Sgt. Tristan Peete)

The U.S. House has passed a bill that would increase certain VA benefits for surviving families and severely Disabled Veterans. The measure was sent to the Senate for further consideration.

The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs said the legislation— officially the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act—focuses on benefit areas that have not seen a major increase in decades. One is Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, commonly known as DIC, which is paid to eligible surviving spouses, children, and parents. The other is Special Monthly Compensation, or SMC-related payments, which provide additional benefits to Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities who need a higher level of care.

Per the Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 6047 would provide cost-of-living adjustments for DIC and create a new monthly benefit for certain Disabled Veterans who receive aid and attendance benefits. The bill also includes changes tied to VA home loan guarantees and eligibility for some members of the military reserve.

The bill is named after Sharri Briley and Army Sgt. Eric Edmundson. Briley is the surviving spouse of Chief Warrant Officer 3 Donovan “Bull” Briley, who was killed during the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. Edmundson was severely wounded in Iraq in 2005 after his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.

Supporters say the increase is meant to help close long-standing benefit gaps for surviving families and Veterans who need intensive daily care because of service-connected injuries or illnesses. They also say current benefit levels have not kept pace with the needs of recipients.

The American Legion has supported H.R. 6047 with amendments, saying the legislation seeks to provide an overdue increase in financial benefits for survivors and severely disabled Veterans receiving care through VA.

The bill is not yet law. It must clear the Senate and be signed by the president before any benefit changes can take effect.

If enacted, the legislation would create a separate path from other survivor-benefit proposals discussed earlier this year. While other bills have focused on expanding eligibility or changing survivor benefit rules, H.R. 6047 would increase payments under existing VA benefit programs for surviving families and severely disabled Veterans.

Author: Rikki Almanza

Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted family connection to the military, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.