Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID–19 Act of 2021
Latest action · Jul 26, 2021 Held at the desk.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJan 28, 2021
- Passed SenateJul 21, 2021
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to obtain a medical opinion that determines whether a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death for a veteran who died from COVID-19.
Specifically, the VA must obtain this determination before notifying a claimant for survivor benefits of the final decision regarding such benefits in any case where
- a dependency and indemnity compensation claim is filed in relation to a veteran with one or more service-connected disabilities who dies,
- the death certificate for the veteran identifies COVID-19 as the principal or contributory cause of death,
- the death certificate does not clearly identify any of the service-connected disabilities as the principal or contributory cause of death,
- the veteran's service-connected disability includes a condition more likely to cause severe illness from COVID-19,
- the claimant is not entitled to certain dependency and indemnity compensation benefits, and
- the evidence to support the claim does not result in a preliminary finding in favor of the claimant.
The VA must provide information to veterans, their dependents, and veterans service organizations about applying for dependency and indemnity compensation when a veteran dies from COVID-19. Such information must be available through the VA's website and via other outreach mechanisms.
Cosponsors 17
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 28, 2021 to Jun 8, 2021; 6 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-DE | Christopher A. Coons | Original | Jan 28, 2021 |
| D-MA | Elizabeth Warren | Original | Jan 28, 2021 |
| D-NH | Jeanne Shaheen | Original | Jan 28, 2021 |
| R-AR | John Boozman | Original | Jan 28, 2021 |
| D-CT | Richard Blumenthal | Original | Jan 28, 2021 |
| R-NC | Thom Tillis | Original | Jan 28, 2021 |
| D-WV | Joe Manchin III | Feb 23, 2021 | |
| D-RI | Jack Reed | Mar 2, 2021 | |
| R-ME | Susan M. Collins | Mar 2, 2021 | |
| D-MA | Edward J. Markey | Mar 10, 2021 | |
| R-MS | Roger F. Wicker | Mar 23, 2021 | |
| D-RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | Mar 23, 2021 | |
| D-MI | Gary C. Peters | May 11, 2021 | |
| D-AZ | Mark Kelly | May 11, 2021 | |
| D-WI | Tammy Baldwin | May 18, 2021 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Referred Jan 28, 2021Hearings Apr 28, 2021Markup May 26, 2021Reported Jun 24, 2021 |
Actions 10
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jul 26, 2021Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Jul 26, 2021Received in the House.
- Jul 26, 2021Held at the desk.
- Jul 21, 2021Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5023; text: CR S5023)
- Jun 24, 2021Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Tester with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Jun 24, 2021Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 83.
- May 26, 2021Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
- Apr 28, 2021Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 117-137.
- Jan 28, 2021Introduced in Senate
- Jan 28, 2021Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
In the Congressional Record 1
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Debate and remarks S5023Amendments S5023 | Tina Smith D-MN | Jul 21, 2021 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- Sep 10, 2021S. 89, Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021As passed by the Senate on July 21, 2021
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. Hrg. 117-137 | HEARING ON PENDING LEGISLATION248 pages | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Apr 28, 2021 |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 746 | Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID–19 Act of 2021 | Identical bill | Mar 16, 2021 |
Titles 4
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to secure medical opinions for veterans with service-connected disabilities who die from COVID-19 to determine whether their service-connected disabilities were the principal or contributory causes of death, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID–19 Act of 2021
- Short Title(s) as Reported to Senate
- Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID–19 Act of 2021
- Short Title(s) as Passed Senate
- Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID–19 Act of 2021
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Cardiovascular and respiratory health
- Disability and paralysis
- Emergency medical services and trauma care
- Health information and medical records
- Infectious and parasitic diseases
- Medical tests and diagnostic methods
- Veterans' medical care
- Veterans' pensions and compensation
Text 3
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jul 21, 2021Engrossed in Senate
- Jun 24, 2021Reported to Senate
- Jan 28, 2021Introduced in Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
