S. 89: Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-01-28 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Held at the desk.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-01-28 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Held at the desk. 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

Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021

Plain summary

Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to obtain a medical opinion that determines whether a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death for a veteran who died from COVID-19. Specifically, the VA must obtain this determination before notifying a claimant for survivor benefits of the final decision regarding such benefits in any case where a dependency and indemnity compensation claim is filed in relation to a veteran with one or more service-connected disabilities who dies, the death certificate for the veteran identifies COVID-19 as the principal or contributory cause of death, the death certificate does not clearly identify any of the service-connected disabilities as the principal or contributory cause of death, the veteran's service-connected disability includes a condition more likely to cause severe illness from COVID-19, the claimant is not entitled to certain dependency and indemnity compensation benefits, and the evidence to support the claim does not result in a preliminary finding in favor of the claimant. The VA must provide information to veterans, their dependents, and veterans service organizations about applying for dependency and indemnity compensation when a veteran dies from COVID-19. Such information must be available through the VA's website and via other outreach mechanisms.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ] · 17 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 89, Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021 (2021-09-10)

Cosponsors on this site

Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Boozman (R-AR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME)

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 (Passed Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s89.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s89 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117