To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouses of certain former prisoners of war dying with a service-connected disability rated totally disabling at the time of death.

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.784 through Congress

H.R.784 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

HouseFeb 23, 1999IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No Senate action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related Senate measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the Senate stage of H.R.784.

Related Senate bill: S.1238 A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouses of certain former prisoners of war dying with a service-connected disability related totally disabling at the time of death.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 23, 1999

Authorizes the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouse of a veteran who died while totally disabled from a service-connected disability, who was a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999, and who had been diagnosed as having one of the diseases specified as being service-connected (and therefore compensable) under veterans' disability compensation or benefits provisions.

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PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Bilirakis, Michael [R-FL-9] · R–FL

Committees

Veterans' Affairs Committee

126 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Jun 10, 1999
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Mar 9, 1999
Referred to the Subcommittee on Benefits.
Feb 23, 1999
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Feb 23, 1999
Introduced in House
Feb 23, 1999
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Feb 23, 1999 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

S 1238 · A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouses of certain former prisoners of war dying with a service-connected disability related totally disabling at the time of death.

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.784 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.784, 106th Congress: To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouses of certain former prisoners of war dying with a service-connected disability rated totally disabling at the time of death.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/house-bill/784

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1999-02-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/106/bills/hr784/BILLS-106hr784ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T13:46:34Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.784 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.784 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.784, 106th Congress: To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouses of certain former prisoners of war dying with a service-connected disability rated totally disabling at the time of death.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/house-bill/784

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1999-02-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/106/bills/hr784/BILLS-106hr784ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T13:46:34Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.784 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.784 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.784, 106th Congress: To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouses of certain former prisoners of war dying with a service-connected disability rated totally disabling at the time of death.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/house-bill/784

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1999-02-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/106/bills/hr784/BILLS-106hr784ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T13:46:34Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.784 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.784 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.784, 106th Congress: To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouses of certain former prisoners of war dying with a service-connected disability rated totally disabling at the time of death.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/house-bill/784

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1999-02-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/106/bills/hr784/BILLS-106hr784ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T13:46:34Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.784 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.