Current Legislation 113th Congress:
Current status on bills can be found by going to www.thomas.gov and putting in the bill
number. Unless passed all bills will die at the end of the 113th , 1st Congressional Session.
S 735 Survivor Benefit Improvement Act of 2013
 Expand help for children. Supplemental payments would be provided for five years instead
of the current two years for survivors with children.

For the first time, children with the spinal disease spina bifida caused by their parent’s
exposure to Agent Orange in Thailand during the war in Vietnam would receive care and
benefits.

Remove barriers to benefits. Surviving spouses could remarry at a younger age, consistent
with other federal programs, and still maintain their survivor benefits.
 Provide counseling. A pilot program would be created to provide grief counseling in retreat
settings for widows and widowers whose spouses died while on active duty in the armed
services. The counseling would include information on VA benefits and services available to
survivors. To encourage participation, child care would be provided.
SBP/DIC Offset:
H.R.32 -- Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act- An act to remove the SBP/DIC offset
S. 734 -- To amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor
annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation.
DIC: No Bill for the DIC increase to 55% has been introduced in the 113th Congress yet. Members
interested in pursuing this are urged to contact Jamie Tomek of the GSW GRC at jtomek@nemonet.com,
or mail your letter to Jamie Tomek, 215 S Cuivre, Bowling Green, MO 63334.
TRICARE:
HR 741: “Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act” – Enables beneficiaries to use
chiropractic services.
CHAMPVA:
R 288- Expands Eligibility for dependent children to age 26.
S. 325- Companion Bill in Senate expands eligibility to age 26
HR 411- Fort McClellan Registry Act
S.1963, Sec. 510 ‘‘Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010’’ ChampVA Dental
Pilot Program. Signed into law May 5, 2010 by President Obama. Printed in the Federal Register March
1, 2013, not yet implemented.
EDUCATION:
HR 1400: Clarifies who is eligible for the Fry Scholarship and expands eligibility to all who are
dependents of Veterans of Service Connected Deaths.
COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS:
HR 569 and HR 570
S.AMDT.198-To establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to protect the benefits of disabled veterans and
their survivors, which may not include a chained CPI.
FINAL PAYCHECK:
H.R 1360- Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act -provide for forgiveness of certain overpayments of
retired pay paid to deceased retired members of the Armed Forces following their death.
HOUSING:
HR 821- Amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide surviving spouses with certain
protections relating to mortgages and mortgage foreclosures, and for other purposes.
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERSHIP PROTECTIONS:
S 495 Careers for Veterans Act of 2013