H.R. 8559: Surviving Families Benefit Expansion Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-10-09 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-10-09 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Surviving Families Benefit Expansion Act

Plain summary

Surviving Families Benefit Expansion Act This bill adjusts the amount that the Department of Veterans Affairs pays to surviving spouses and children of veterans who were rated as totally disabled for a period of less than 10 years before their death. Additionally, the bill authorizes the furnishing of dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses who remarry after the age of 55.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Surviving Families Benefit Expansion Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), John B. Larson (D-CT), Andy Kim (D-NJ)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] reported raising $1.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr8559.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr8559 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116