National MOAA’s Legislative Action Center is a valuable resource for the surviving spouse community. This online tool provides intent and particulars of MOAA-support bills as well as the opportunity to contact your elected officials on the legislation.

While all bills listed in the Legislative Action Center are important, a number of them deserve the attention of the surviving spouse community. Here are a few:

Strengthening Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for Surviving Families: Under the proposed provision authored by Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson, DIC would increase by 1% each year in addition to the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for three years, to a total of 3%. This incremental step toward parity with other federal DIC beneficiaries can help veteran families manage rising costs for basic necessities.

Allowing Survivors to Move Forward: The Love Lives On Act addresses the remarriage penalty burdening survivors. Currently, surviving spouses who remarry before reaching age 55 lose important benefits, such as DIC and survivor benefits. The Love Lives On Act would allow surviving spouses to retain these benefits regardless of remarriage at any age. TRICARE eligibility would be restored if a subsequent marriage ends in death, divorce, or annulment. The choice to rebuild a life and a family should not have these financial consequences. The veteran’s sacrifice should be met with the nation’s commitment to care for the family left behind. 

[RELATED: Why Does MOAA Support the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act?]

Recognizing the Reality of ALS: The VA recognizes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, as a presumptive service-connected condition for certain veterans that results in a 100% disability rating. Current law requires a veteran to have been totally disabled for eight continuous years prior to death for a surviving spouse to receive enhanced DIC. The average life expectancy of someone with ALS is two to five years after diagnosis. This is problematic — most sufferers with this disease don’t live long enough to meet the eight-year requirement. The Justice for ALS Veterans Act is a remedy. It would allow eligible surviving spouses to receive increased DIC regardless how long the veteran lived with the disease.

Legislation is a fluid process, bills are written, amended, and recombined. At this time, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act combines the three acts mentioned above and gives Congress the opportunity to improve these programs at once.

As surviving spouses, we understand that no benefit can ever replace the person we lost, however, families and surviving spouses depend on this assistance. It is our duty to remind Congress that these benefits are part of the promise our nation makes to those who serve and the spouses and families who stand beside them.

Contact your lawmakers about the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act.