WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

S. 749 · 119th Congress

Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025

IntroducedArmed Forces and National Security
IntroducedFeb 26, 2025
Passed SenateNot yet
Passed HouseNot yet
To PresidentNot yet
Became lawNot yet

Where it stands

Introduced. Latest step, Apr 29, 2026: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. It would change 1 section of existing law.

How this bill changes the law

Sourced

S. 749 would change 1 section of existing law. Read from the bill text as introduced in the Senate (Feb 26, 2025).

38 U.S.C. 1311 Dependency and indemnity compensation to a surviving spouse

  • (a) (1) Dependency and indemnity compensation shall be paid to a surviving spouse… added to · Sec. 2(a) · see the words
What the words would change: every change, in place (2)

Today's wording of each part of the law, with what would be struck out and added. Each change also gives the bill's own instruction, word for word.

  1. 38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(2)changedby S. 749 Sec. 2(a)

    (2) (A) The rate under paragraph (1) shall be increased by $246 in the case of the death of a veteran who at the time of death was in receipt of or was entitled to receive (or but for the receipt of retired pay or retirement pay was entitled to receive) compensation for a service-connected disability that was rated totally disabling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately preceding death. In determining the period of a veteran's disability for purposes of the preceding sentence, only periods in which the veteran was married to the surviving spouse shall be considered.

    The bill says: by inserting "(A)" before "The rate"; and

    Bill text · Current law (38 U.S.C. 1311)

  2. 38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(2)added (B)by S. 749 Sec. 2(a)

    (B) A veteran whom the Secretary determines died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis shall be treated as a veteran described in subparagraph (A) without regard for how long the veteran had such disease prior to death.

    The bill says: by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

    Bill text · Current law (38 U.S.C. 1311)

From the bill's official text on GovInfo and the U.S. Code, 2024 edition, which may not yet show changes made since.

What it does

Sourced

Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025

This bill extends increased dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouse of a veteran whom the Department of Veterans Affairs has determined died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) regardless of how long the veteran had such disease prior to death. Under current law, such compensation is paid for a service-connected disability that was rated totally disabling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately preceding death.

Under the bill, such extension of increased compensation applies retroactively to veterans who died from ALS on or after October 1, 2022.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in Senate, Feb 26, 2025).

Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.

What has happened

Sourced
  1. Apr 29, 2026Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.Senate
  2. Feb 26, 2025Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.Senate
  3. Feb 26, 2025Introduced in SenateLibrary of Congress

Show key steps only

Cosponsors

  • Tammy Baldwin D-WI
  • Cory A. Booker D-NJ
  • Bill Cassidy R-LA
  • Christopher A. Coons D-DE
  • Catherine Cortez Masto D-NV
  • Kevin Cramer R-ND
  • Tammy Duckworth D-IL
  • John W. Hickenlooper D-CO
  • Mike Rounds R-SD
  • Elissa Slotkin D-MI
  • Raphael G. Warnock D-GA
  • Sheldon Whitehouse D-RI