PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39] · D–CA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: May 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-03-21 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed Survivor Benefits Delivery Improvement Act of 2025 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to collect voluntary demographic information about certain survivor and burial-benefit recipients and plan outreach to groups it determines are underserved. It would also require regular contact with eligible surviving dependents until they file a benefit claim, with options to reduce or stop contact. VA would add call-center staff to carry out that outreach.
This Act may be cited as the Survivor Benefits Delivery Improvement Act of 2025.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring any person to submit demographic data
an outreach and education strategy for raising awareness regarding the benefits specified in section 5322(a) of title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection (b)), among covered survivors who belong to an underserved demographic.
shall provide outreach services, by mail, email, and telephone, to each eligible dependent of such individual not less than once each quarter calendar year until the eligible dependent files a claim for a benefit under laws administered by the Secretary.
may elect to not receive, or to receive fewer, outreach services under this subsection.
shall establish at least 5, but not more than 10, full-time equivalent positions at call centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs
Section 2 would require VA to develop and use a method to collect demographic information from surviving spouses, children, and parents receiving the listed survivor benefits, and from anyone receiving the specified burial benefits. The survivor benefits include pensions and additional benefits based on needing regular personal assistance or being permanently housebound.
develop a method to collect the demographic data of— (A) each covered survivor receiving disability and indemnity compensation under chapter 13 of this title, pension under chapter 15 of this title, or increased pension (or additional compensation or allowances) under this title based on the need of regular aid and attendance or by reason of being permanently housebound; and (B) each person who receives burial benefits under chapter 23 of this title; and (2) collect demographic data pursuant to the method developed under paragraph (1).
The term covered survivor means a surviving spouse, child, or parent of a veteran.
The demographic information would include race, ethnicity, tribal affiliation if any, LGBTQIA+ status, and geographic location.
The term demographic data includes, with respect to an individual, the following: (A) Race. (B) Ethnicity. (C) Tribal affiliation, if any. (D) LGBTQIA+ status. (E) Geographic location.
VA would have to consult its advisory committees for minority veterans, women veterans, and veterans’ families, caregivers, and survivors, as well as VA-recognized veterans service organizations, when developing and carrying out demographic collection.
The Secretary, in consultation with the entities described in subsection (b), shall—
(1) The Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans established under section 544 of this title. (2) The Advisory Committee on Women Veterans established under section 542 of this title. (3) The Veterans’ Family, Caregiver, and Survivor Advisory Committee of the Department of Veterans Affairs, or successor advisory committee. (4) Veterans service organizations.
The term veterans service organization means any organization recognized by the Secretary under section 5902 of this title.
Providing demographic information would be voluntary. The provision would not authorize VA to consider whether someone supplied that information when evaluating a benefit claim.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring any person to submit demographic data or as authorizing the Secretary to consider whether a person submits demographic data in evaluating any claim for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary.
VA would have to develop the collection method and begin collecting information within 180 days after enactment.
shall develop the data collection method under subsection (a) of section 5322 of title 38, United States Code (as added by paragraph (1)), and commence the collection of data pursuant to such method, by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
VA would identify demographic groups it determines are underserved regarding the listed benefits, taking the collected information into account. Initial designations would be due within one year after collection begins; VA would review them at least every two years and update them as appropriate.
designate as an underserved demographic any demographic the Secretary determines, taking into account the demographic data collected under subsection (a), is underserved with respect to the benefits specified in such subsection; and (2) review such designations on at least a biennial basis and update as appropriate.
The Secretary shall make the initial designation of any underserved demographics under subsection (c) of such section 5322 by not later than one year after the date on which the Secretary commences the collection of data under subsection (a) of such section.
Veterans Benefits Administration annual benefits reports would have to include information about demographic data collected during the fiscal year covered. This requirement would apply to reports submitted starting one year after collection begins.
For each annual benefits report of the Veterans Benefits Administration, the Secretary shall include as part of the report information concerning the demographic data collected under subsection (a) during the fiscal year covered by the report.
shall apply with respect to annual benefits reports of the Veterans Benefits Administration submitted on or after the date that is one year after the date on which the Secretary commences the collection of data under subsection (a) of such section.
Within one year after the initial underserved-group designations, VA would have to submit a strategy to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees for raising awareness of the specified benefits among covered survivors in those groups.
Not later than one year after the date of initial designation, the Secretary shall develop and submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives an outreach and education strategy for raising awareness regarding the benefits specified in section 5322(a) of title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection (b)), among covered survivors who belong to an underserved demographic.
Within 180 days after the initial designations, the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs would have to submit a national-cemetery burial eligibility outreach strategy to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees. The strategy would address veterans and beneficiaries in underserved groups, and the Under Secretary would have to conduct education activities under it.
Not later than 180 days after the date of initial designation, the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs shall develop and submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate an outreach strategy for raising awareness regarding eligibility for burial in a national cemetery under section 2303 of title 38, United States Code, among veterans and beneficiaries who belong to an underserved demographic.
The Under Secretary shall carry out education activities pursuant to the plan developed under subparagraph (A)
The Under Secretary would have to report to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees on the burial outreach efforts within one year after the initial designations, and annually thereafter for five years.
Not later than one year after the date of initial designation, and annually thereafter for five years, the Under Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the efforts taken by the Under Secretary pursuant to this paragraph.
Within one year after enactment, VA would have to assess the resources of its Office of Survivors Assistance or a successor office and develop a strategy to make the resources it determines necessary available.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— (1) conduct an assessment of the resources of the Office of Survivors Assistance of the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any successor office; and (2) develop a strategy to ensure the availability of resources necessary for the function of such office, as determined by the Secretary as a result of the assessment.
Section 3 would define a “covered individual” as a veteran or someone who served in the uniformed services under a referenced existing definition. It would replace references to veterans or eligible veterans in several outreach provisions with this term, and replace “veteran or dependent” in one provision with “covered individual or eligible dependent.”
the term covered individual means— (A) a veteran; or (B) an individual who served in the uniformed services (as defined in section 1965(6) of this title);
in section 6302(b), by striking eligible veterans each place it appears and inserting covered individuals;
in subsection (c)(2), by striking veteran or dependent each place it appears and inserting covered individual or eligible dependent;
in section 6306— (A) in subsection (a), by striking eligible veteran and inserting covered individual; and (B) in subsection (b)— (i) by striking opportunities for veterans and inserting opportunities for covered individuals; and (ii) by striking eligible veterans and inserting covered individuals;
After receiving notice that a covered individual has died, VA, acting through the Under Secretary for Benefits, would have to contact each eligible dependent by mail, email, and telephone at least once each calendar quarter until the dependent files a VA benefit claim, subject to the dependent’s option to reduce or stop outreach.
Upon receipt of notification of the death of a covered individual, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Benefits, shall provide outreach services, by mail, email, and telephone, to each eligible dependent of such individual not less than once each quarter calendar year until the eligible dependent files a claim for a benefit under laws administered by the Secretary.
An eligible dependent or legal guardian described in subparagraph (A) or (B) may elect to not receive, or to receive fewer, outreach services under this subsection.
For a dependent who is a minor child, VA would send the outreach to the child’s legal guardian. If VA lacks a dependent’s or guardian’s contact information, it would have to make reasonable efforts to obtain it.
In the case of an eligible dependent described in subparagraph (A) who is a minor child, the Secretary shall provide such outreach services to the legal guardian of the eligible dependent.
If the Secretary does not have the contact information of an eligible dependent or legal guardian described in subparagraph (A) or (B), the Secretary shall make reasonable efforts to obtain such contact information to carry out this subsection.
Eligible dependents and legal guardians could choose fewer outreach contacts or none. VA would have to notify each of them of that choice at least once each calendar year.
An eligible dependent or legal guardian described in subparagraph (A) or (B) may elect to not receive, or to receive fewer, outreach services under this subsection. Not less than once each calendar year, the Secretary shall notify each such eligible dependent or legal guardian of the option to make such an election.
The outreach would have to include contact information for the Office of Survivors Assistance, information about claim-filing help from recognized veterans service organizations and recognized attorneys, agents, or other entities, and instructions for finding such assistance near the dependent’s home.
Outreach services under this subsection shall provide an eligible dependent with information including the following: (A) Contact information for the Office of Survivors Assistance established under section 321 of this title. (B) Information regarding assistance in filing a claim for a benefit under laws administered by the Secretary furnished by— (i) a veterans service organization recognized under section 5902 of this title; or (ii) an attorney, agent, or other entity recognized under section 5904 of this title. (C) How to find an entity— (i) described in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (B); and (ii) located near the residence of the eligible dependent.
When developing or revising survivor outreach materials, VA would have to consult recognized veterans service organizations and its advisory committees for women veterans, minority veterans, and veterans’ families, caregivers, and survivors.
In developing and revising materials used in outreach services under this subsection, the Secretary shall consult with entities including the following: (A) Veterans service organizations recognized under section 5902 of this title. (B) The Advisory Committee on Women Veterans established under section 542 of this title. (C) The Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans established under section 544 of this title. (D) The Veterans’ Family, Caregiver, and Survivor Advisory Committee of the Department, or successor advisory committee.
VA would have to establish between five and ten full-time equivalent call-center positions—staffing measured in full-time workloads—to carry out the new survivor outreach requirement.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish at least 5, but not more than 10, full-time equivalent positions at call centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out subsection (c) of section 6308 of such title, as added by subsection (b).
The supplied action snapshot, updated May 12, 2025, records introduction and referral to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on March 21, 2025, followed by referral to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs on April 4, 2025.
Source snapshot updated 2025-05-12T17:21:18Z. 2025-04-04: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. 2025-03-21: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. 2025-03-21: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-03-21. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated rider was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. Its provisions concern VA survivor benefits, related information collection, and outreach. This conclusion is limited to this version and does not establish the absence of riders in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for a particular recipient or place was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to this version; it does not establish formal earmark status or absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow preferential exemption or special benefit was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. Outreach to the program’s intended beneficiaries and underserved groups concerns access to existing benefits. This conclusion is limited to this version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: May 12, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI