[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6186458,"mediaKeyId","5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21","parentId",5074809,"title","Bill would protect preapproved accrued pensions from being clawed back after a veteran's death","audioSeconds",171,"startMs",5103000,"endMs",5274000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21&start=5103&end=5274","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21/thumbnail_5103000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6186458/Bill-would-protect-preapproved-accrued-pensions-from-being-clawed-back-after-a-veterans-death","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186458-0f3b9c446534722b24277fad299b72db/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990656&Signature=Xywvw0nMAXjL-V288HK~wTIEbI5gFb8PauGZOCkAjQJTUcFxg8G78I6UGvlOJYTk-vEA817l~p1hOIq1hfP9V07S9J-jo6e7Fm2Q0MUIvD4a30H1MDSsY3SMTHD3Cnyj4BbRg6sKB0viuBJqVXl2Ib--SouFdzfj5HCbK6nkC8Lfpgj91iZVAUipNnDHom013wOJe50WMgw9SEiGRxwxx-O6i7wiGlYkzEhkf4i7OE9Z-pJCUK7Kc6dssdRpAqHiaasmUl86R3yCPKfiqWAOBqbFrnDXOpI29BiCrrKzaZhRf1KFBje48BYu4J6YV0554xoG8RIgmzrLCv12E0hA0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Veterans' Affairs","date","2025-06-24T20:42:14Z","article","Representative Elise Stefanik urged the subcommittee to support the Ernest Peltz Accrued Veterans Benefits Act, which would speed payment of accrued pension benefits so families do not lose funds due to processing delays.

Stefanik described the case of Ernest Peltz, a World War II veteran whose accrued pension was approved but whose family later learned VA processing resulted in the deposit occurring seven days after his death; VA then sought repayment, leaving the family with unexpected expenses. Stefanik said the bill would require that preapproved pension benefits be paid within the month of death and not be clawed back because of administrative delay.

VA witnesses at the hearing said they support the intent of measures that protect surviving families but noted implementation and appropriation issues must be addressed. Several veterans service organizations and family members told the panel the bill is a pragmatic way to prevent families from being penalized for administrative errors in processing benefit payments.

The subcommittee did not act on the bill during the hearing; members said they would coordinate with VA and stakeholders on drafting and cost implications.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Legislative Hearing","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Stefanik described the Ernest Peltz Accrued Veterans Benefits Act to ensure preapproved accrued pension benefits are paid to families rather than withheld when processing delays cause funds to arrive after a veteran dies; testimony included a family case where VA processing error led to recovery of funds.","taxTitle","Veterans Affairs: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1825,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6186463,"Bill would let families of veterans who died before 1990 apply for government headstones in two‑year pilot",3191,4904000,8095000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21&start=4904&end=8095","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21/thumbnail_4904000.jpg","/articles/6186463/Bill-would-let-families-of-veterans-who-died-before-1990-apply-for-government-headstones-in-twoyear-pilot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186463-e4ddfaa1b82ae6ff660330c016b08068/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990656&Signature=bfRpW6VgirporJA~PW2xU9B-bgEo4rFOSGAd8qeEWoQNxdOPXbLt4sC-5P3-HFv5jR~Yyy6Hv03PjmCO3tWer35U8KhY62D0LOsk1G5JpLuAKxKl5MkviDJhUdqa8KCmsmJRmatWIpz26W1Sh9o71PgTAH6odeR~q-LEiT30xIYvJNhR5ge9r1lKRf13JacKToOe8OuWD3hWZSf3WWMQ-M8AbhKaO8TcA9YYshy0nltKiQj9mMg1GpE0jUO74vOmHjfeuyRvIQyuy3rCT1A~X1NttTIN-MWYOjx8YlwywCNbCUDtOlPKilpA8zrSoeV00glMCdAslAosakRzTI6LrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Kennedy urged the subcommittee to support the Honoring Our Heroes Act, which would create a two‑year pilot to allow families of veterans who died before Nov. 1, 1990, to apply for government‑issued headstones or markers from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Kennedy said the pre‑1990 change restricting headstone issuance to veterans who died on or after Nov. 1, 1990, was implemented as a cost‑saving measure and that families are seeking dignity and recognition for service regardless of date of death. He listed veteran service organizations that support the bill, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Gold Star Mothers, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Disabled American Veterans and American Legion posts.

Witnesses from advocacy groups, including TAPS, expressed support for the proposal and related bills to strengthen memorial and burial benefits. VA officials at the hearing indicated they would consider the proposal and discuss implementation details and costs with the committee.

The subcommittee did not vote on the pilot program; members expressed bipartisan support for correcting what supporters called an arbitrary distinction tied to earlier budget choices.","Representative Kennedy described a bill to create a two‑year pilot allowing families of veterans who died before Nov. 1, 1990, to apply for government‑issued headstones or markers; veterans service organizations told the subcommittee the measure would correct an historical practice change made for budgetary reasons.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6186468,"Bipartisan bill would raise DIC and relax 10‑year rule; TAPS and lawmakers press VA for clearer cost data",642,10405000,11047000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21&start=10405&end=11047","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21/thumbnail_10405000.jpg","/articles/6186468/Bipartisan-bill-would-raise-DIC-and-relax-10year-rule-TAPS-and-lawmakers-press-VA-for-clearer-cost-data","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186468-6bd73fd01c346a0b02794a827f3dbbbb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990656&Signature=gTnlDBE0SOyB7o7xZZcqi-ZdQZvCWUrcejB43hUMYjEMyTKW-Wo8YnwrDIBuDvyIvJ5~JZJSWUZVIchlg7CVHAX-mAD24Snh8AbxUnu52WDZS9A7edFpO4eAVGaqxEQnZ~hSt-0ULCFkLjFLUZrl8YmXjArlnj986LBciEdXbbOAE9eIUhcgq3a9XFzI2Mv42qtSAGigXUv67fTqUgaPLOkdtD40KzJp5C0HzHKaMlaMcTVU0kZhjCO7rQrvqnnVDzlesousm0XeBon6~AdGZNOfej3NFeWjwv3GRlHEzF9HTFds-DiX-1uuuocTGT9~Vt3B-4pmCX3BcQTdJOcz~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawmakers, advocates and VA witnesses discussed legislation to increase the monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) paid to surviving spouses and dependents and to relax a 10‑year eligibility rule that reduces benefits for survivors when a veteran was disabled for less than a decade before death.

Representative Hayes, sponsor of the Caring for Survivors Act, said the bill would raise DIC to 55% of the rate for a totally disabled veteran and reduce the 10‑year rule to five years, estimating an \"approximate increase of more than $450 per month\" for many survivors. Candice Wheeler of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) told the subcommittee that DIC \"has only been increased by COLA since 1993\" and that raising the rate to parity with other federal survivor programs would provide \"financial stability for surviving families.\"

VA witnesses said the department supports the intent of modernizing survivor benefits but asked for clearer statutory language and would require appropriations to implement changes. VA officials also noted technical data issues: the department does not always have cause‑of‑death codes or records for veterans who did not receive VA care, and some cost estimates have been driven by broad initial PACT Act projections that did not match actual claim filing rates. VA asked to work with the committee to refine bill text and the elements that the department would be required to report or track.

Ranking Member McGarvey and others pressed for more granular scenarios to inform cost estimates: lawmakers suggested the committee request alternate scoring based on plausible participation rates (for example, 10% or 50% of eligible survivors applying) and clarified that some costing questions depend on whether beneficiaries later qualify for full DIC when adjudicated.

The subcommittee did not vote on the bill but members and witnesses urged continued collaboration on statutory language and data assumptions before additional action.","Lawmakers and advocates backed the Caring for Survivors Act to raise dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) from 43% toward 55% of a 100% disabled veteran's rate and reduce a 10‑year rule to five years; VA said it supports intent but needs statutory clarity and data to cost implementation.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6186472,"Surviving spouse tells subcommittee VA caregiver appeals can leave families destitute; lawmakers consider fixes",226,7225000,7451000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21&start=7225&end=7451","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21/thumbnail_7225000.jpg","/articles/6186472/Surviving-spouse-tells-subcommittee-VA-caregiver-appeals-can-leave-families-destitute-lawmakers-consider-fixes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186472-50b2624f8f01854e29bc83df2da692fe/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990656&Signature=K20RyqAoCvBlY-jueDVCRI4nx~r7yWjJLJBsC63SLAx~j~WJ1IO8WDXvZZonziwkzsboL-wEZWsUzQSTyPFaMdZr5giTKRVnoVvuK-o2eCT9Q2ZfsNofpcZxG0ToYtm9AvNoU75KEOImwpLnAfhUsXId73iO6svMVrK6imPNedK6rl8Me7mr817Qzhc2~uWTs7W8wX5CflAKB4TzmUTRyUCHXHImzKvqvN-hDNZJb5WiWdPn~8JfD-O2pfzOk0n-ha0FDTzXYdAfhPg2AEpDdAWTp1qCNFL6bInL-6NsJwFkeEPIgn7HP1S-A-PF-PNG53bnxRRRJqTwJHMV6wCNYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Julie Guliff, a surviving spouse who applied for the VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) on behalf of her husband, told the House Veterans' Affairs subcommittee that the VA appeals and records process left her \"widowed, homeless, alone, destitute, and heartbroken.\" She urged passage of the Veterans Caregiver Appeals Modernization Act (H.R. 38 33) to prevent similar outcomes.

Guliff recounted years of caregiving for a veteran with service‑connected disabilities and stage‑4 prostate cancer, describing repeated application denials, record‑sharing problems across VA facilities and private providers, and delays that extended through appeals. She said her husband's PCAFC application remained unresolved when he died in October 2022, and subsequent appeals were denied because, she said, \"due to the death of the veteran, the appeal for eligibility of PCAFC benefits must be denied as a matter of law.\" Guliff said the board declined to consider evidence accumulated after the agency's original decision.

Witnesses and VA officials described how the caregiver application and appeals pathways differ from other VA appeals. Dr. Colleen Richardson, executive director for the Caregiver Support Program at the Veterans Health Administration, explained that \"as long as we have the information available to us ... we are able to render decision and retroactively pay\" unpaid stipends when a veteran dies, but emphasized that eligibility hinges on meeting program requirements and on evidence availability. Richardson said about 86% of PCAFC initial applications are adjudicated in under 90 days and that roughly 30–33% of applications are approved; she also described separate clinical appeal tracks and the AMA (Appeals Modernization Act) process that have posed implementation challenges.

Advocates urged statutory changes to ensure evidence submitted after a veteran's death can be considered and to make the caregiver application and appeals processes more reliable. Representative Mike Johnson (note: committee participants) and others asked detailed questions about record sharing, staff training and timelines. Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and other advocates said better data collection, clearer standards for retroactive payments, and inter‑facility information sharing would reduce the risk that families are left without benefits after a veteran dies.

VA witnesses noted operational constraints. Dr. Richardson said eligibility decisions require specific evidentiary steps and that some applications are denied when evaluators conclude a veteran \"does not need in‑person personal care services.\" She said that when a veteran is denied at an eligibility step, caregivers may be offered enrollment in the Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS).

Lawmakers did not adopt legislation during the hearing. Members said they would work with VA and advocates to clarify whether evidence filed after a veteran's death should remain part of an active appeal and how to ensure timely, consistent adjudication of caregiver claims and appeals.","A surviving spouse described a multi‑year appeals fight over the VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) that ended after her husband's death; witnesses and VA officials discussed application, appeals processes, and how pending cases are handled when a veteran dies.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6186477,"Subcommittee hears competing plans to let courts, VA aggregate appeals and speed veterans' decisions",368,7506000,7874000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21&start=7506&end=7874","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5074809-ecd84b7fc67c1d7a1961d10397017b21/thumbnail_7506000.jpg","/articles/6186477/Subcommittee-hears-competing-plans-to-let-courts-VA-aggregate-appeals-and-speed-veterans-decisions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186477-17e1b07e267b2bf6409be137b04ddbb0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990656&Signature=c3U4WgnqDfXxgn4aDY48Z~fzVQYC5j12k7cqIU9bA-B39qWcW3PUv9huNC~2Z5OFOcBccVeNF00OvG7cWwtr1J9JFnnl296NJsEBSevcwJIsCYTwplsLeN6MKNA2lf-MKTMMx2hWuvF~QXYKBifLuOCFM50zL4iZ8KljBdO29QZaGhnH8Pqr0wFyJgalABrYE4cg~IFRbO3Cy5ON0rdFJn1i7TYHVusFKaYwAo8MAYn~1OrAzj2NqgMzlDVkS3sn7IwQopKdSPF9ay~a5f0epECAnLXOF~ifHZpB-9xZQfv3ud4iHXszUZmBq43Wtrlw~e7Vxa8fXBt8GlkzTl2n4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Veterans' Affairs subcommittee heard testimony on legislation designed to speed Department of Veterans Affairs appeals by allowing aggregation of similar appeals and clarifying the limited-remand power used by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

Supporters said the bills would reduce years-long waits and produce more consistent decisions; witnesses warned that statutory language must be crafted carefully to avoid unintended limits on judicial flexibility.

Proponents argued aggregation — consolidating many claims that raise the same legal question into a single proceeding — can deliver faster, more uniform outcomes than deciding identical questions hundreds of times. Professor Michael Wishnie of Yale Law School told the committee that aggregation has \"promised to help ameliorate VA delays to some significant extent, enabling veterans in a single case to secure a ruling that would help resolve dozens, if not hundreds, of similar claims.\" He urged the subcommittee to approve the Veterans Appeals Efficiency Act (H.R. 38 35), which would expand the court's ability to aggregate and would authorize the Board of Veterans' Appeals to aggregate at the agency level as well.

Representatives of the court and VA warned that language in some draft bills is unclear and could have unintended consequences. Colonel Tiffany Wagner, clerk of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, said broad, undefined references to terms such as \"claim,\" \"notice of disagreement,\" or \"supplemental claim\" make it \"difficult to determine the intended application\" and cautioned that adding writs or new tolling rules could raise complex jurisdictional questions. Acting Board official Evan Dykert told the panel that appeals are time-consuming because \"each and every case represents a veteran with a unique set of facts and circumstances,\" and said the department shares Congress's goal of continuous improvement while urging careful drafting and discussion about feasibility and resources.

Witnesses also discussed a recent federal-circuit decision (the SCORE litigation) that narrowed when the veterans court may aggregate appeals; several judges dissented from that decision, saying limiting aggregation would undercut the court's ability to address systemic errors. Wishnie recommended a targeted fix: grant supplemental-jurisdiction authority for appeals while leaving writ procedures to the court's existing practice.

The subcommittee took testimony on several related measures during the hearing, including proposals to codify the court's limited-remand authority and to allow class-style litigation for veterans whose claims remain at different stages in the VA system. Colonel Wagner said codifying limited-remand rules could inadvertently narrow judicial discretion if drafted too tightly; Wishnie urged that the bill avoid micromanaging procedural details and instead empower the court and board to adopt reasonable rules.

Lawmakers and witnesses agreed on the problem: the board reported more than 200,000 pending appeals and tens of thousands of veterans wait years for decisions. The shape of any reform, however, will depend on statutory drafting that balances veterans' access to efficient aggregate relief with preserving judicial flexibility and protections for individual claims.

The subcommittee did not vote on legislation; members said they would continue to work with the court, VA and veterans service organizations on technical fixes and cost and implementation questions.","Lawmakers, legal experts and VA officials debated bills to expand aggregation, codify limited remand authority and otherwise change how veterans' appeals are litigated and decided, with supporters saying aggregation can deliver faster, consistent outcomes and VA and the court flagging drafting and authority concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would protect preapproved accrued pensions from being clawed back after a veteran's death

Bill would let families of veterans who died before 1990 apply for government headstones in two‑year pilot

Bipartisan bill would raise DIC and relax 10‑year rule; TAPS and lawmakers press VA for clearer cost data

Surviving spouse tells subcommittee VA caregiver appeals can leave families destitute; lawmakers consider fixes

Subcommittee hears competing plans to let courts, VA aggregate appeals and speed veterans' decisions