U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.) today introduced a bill to prohibit the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) from retroactively collecting pre-approved pension benefits from a veterans’ family following the death of the beneficiary.
“Our veterans have served our country at the highest level and deserve our full support. Their families should not be concerned about VA collections calls in their time of grieving because of the VA’s bureaucracy. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to improve the pension benefits payments process and ensure that our veteran families are not encumbered with prorated benefits programs,” said Daines.
“Our nation’s promise to have veterans’ backs must extend to their families, who for their own service and sacrifices, deserve the full support of a grateful nation. I am proud to bring this legislation forward as my first bill introduced as a U.S. Senator to reaffirm our support for our military community and make sure no other military family has to carry these financial burdens while mourning their loved one,” said Kim.
Read the bill text HERE.
Background:
The bill ensures that veterans receive their accrued pension benefit in the event of a month of death claim, or if payment for the month of the death has been issued. Under this bill, if a veteran with a pension under an existing rating or decision dies, the effective date of discontinuances of compensation is the last day of the month in which such death occurs. This will prevent the VA from coming to collect pension benefits that were approved before the death but paid out afterwards due to processing delays at the VA Pension Management Center.
###
Contact: Matt Lloyd, Rachel Dumke