A bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) would ensure that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does not require families of beneficiaries to pay back their monthly benefits in the event of a surviving spouse’s death.
“Each of our veterans and their families deserve the benefits they have fought for and earned. There is an unfair law hurting our veterans, and we must fix it,” Rep. Steil said during a March 16 press conference to announce the bill. “I’m committed to getting this important piece of legislation across the finish line.”
Rep. Steil on March 14 introduced the Survivor Benefits Fairness Act, H.R. 1609, with original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) to adjust the effective date of certain reductions and discontinuances of compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, and pension under the laws administered by the VA Secretary, according to the text of the bill.
Under current law, if a deceased veteran’s spouse is receiving benefit checks and dies during the month they received a check, the VA is permitted to request the month’s payment back, says a one-page document seeking cosponsor support for H.R. 1609 provided by Rep. Steil’s staff.
“I learned about this unfortunate situation when I was contacted by the family of a woman who had been receiving monthly benefits from the VA due to her husband’s military service,” the congressman says in the document. “This woman unfortunately died five hours before the end of the month. As a result, the VA is now demanding that her family return her benefits for the whole month.
“I believe families of deceased benefit recipients should not be required to pay back benefits that were already used for necessary living expenses,” Rep. Steil added. “That is why I introduced the Survivor Benefits Fairness Act. This is the right thing to do for our veterans who honorably served our country. Their grieving families should not be burdened with unnecessary debt to repay benefits.”
H.R. 1609 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
“This bipartisan legislation would make an important change to VA rules to ensure that no mourning family is asked to pay back benefits,” said Rep. Pappas. “I’m honored to introduce this important bipartisan bill alongside Congressman Steil and will continue pushing for changes at VA to properly honor the service of all our veterans and their families.”