119-hr3123

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3123 Reported in House

    (RH) ]

<DOC>

 Union Calendar No. 291
119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3123

 [Report No. 119-339]

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 
 laws relating to the payment of certain benefits administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs that are affected by death, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 30, 2025

 Ms. Stefanik (for herself and Mr. Khanna) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

 October 8, 2025

 Additional sponsor: Ms. Lee of Nevada

 October 8, 2025

 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
 House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
 in italic]
 [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 
 30, 2025]

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 
 laws relating to the payment of certain benefits administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs that are affected by death, and for other 
 purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Ernest Peltz Accrued Veterans 
Benefits Act''.

SEC. 2. PAYMENT BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF PENSION AFTER DEATH 
 OF A VETERAN IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 51 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting, after 

section 5121A, the following new section:
``

Sec. 5121B. Payment of pension after death of a veteran in certain 
 circumstances
 ``

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection

    (b) , if the Secretary 
issues a decision awarding entitlement to a pension to a veteran before 
the death of such veteran, and the Secretary issues payment of such 
pension after the veteran dies, such pension that was due and unpaid at 
the time of the veteran's death shall be paid to the first living 
person or entity listed below:
 ``

    (1) The veteran's spouse.
 ``

    (2) The veteran's children (in equal shares).
 ``

    (3) The veteran's dependent parents (in equal shares).
 ``

    (4) The estate of the deceased veteran unless the estate 
 will escheat.
 ``

    (b) Limitation.--In a case described in subsection

    (a) , if no 
application is filed under 

section 5121 of this title during the one-
year period following the death of the veteran, the pension described 
in such subsection shall be paid to the estate of the deceased veteran 
unless the estate will escheat.''.

    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--

    (1) Conforming amendment.--

Section 5121

    (a) of such title is 
 amended, in the matter preceding paragraph

    (1) , by inserting 
 ``

section 5121B of this title, or'' before ``sections 3329 and 
 3330''.

    (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
 beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting, after the 
 item relating to 

section 5121A, the following new item:

``5121B. Payment of pension after death of a veteran in certain 
 circumstances.''.
            (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to the death of a veteran that occurs on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.

 

Section 5503
            (d) (7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``November 30, 2031'' and inserting ``December 31, 2031''.
 Union Calendar No. 291

119th CONGRESS

 1st Session

 H. R. 3123

 [Report No. 119-339]

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 
 laws relating to the payment of certain benefits administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs that are affected by death, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 October 8, 2025

 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
 House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed