Summary

Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) to a veteran’s surviving spouse, children, or parents when the veteran had a service‑connected mental disorder and dies by suicide. It removes doubt about eligibility by clearly tying DIC to suicides in cases where VA determines the veteran’s mental health condition was service‑connected, making it easier and faster for families to receive survivor benefits.

Key Points

• Requires VA to pay DIC to survivors when a veteran with a service‑connected mental disorder dies by suicide.
• Covers surviving spouses, children, and parents as eligible beneficiaries.
• Reduces the burden on families to prove a direct link between service and the suicide.
• Uses VA’s existing process to confirm service connection for the mental disorder and cause of death.
• Likely increases access to survivor benefits for families affected by veteran suicide.
• Does not appropriate funds; it changes eligibility in permanent law (mandatory spending impact).
• Applies prospectively upon enactment unless otherwise specified.
• Creates a clear, uniform standard across cases involving suicide and service‑connected mental health conditions.

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