James Risch (R-ID)
Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act
A Republican bill with no cosponsors · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act" aims to increase the funds provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for burial and funeral expenses when a death results from a service-connected disability. It raises the payment amount from $2,000 to $3,000. Additionally, the bill establishes a system to increase this amount periodically based on the Consumer Price Index.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +9
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
Directly increases financial benefits for veterans' burial and funeral expenses.
- Scored +8
Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive?
Significantly increases the burial benefit amount and ties it to inflation.
- Scored +6
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Additional financial support for funeral expenses is most impactful for low-income families.
The opposite
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what is spent on the military?
Increases spending within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?
Increasing benefit payments slightly increases government expenditures.
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill increases the amount of funds paid out for burial expenses.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Higher immediate benefit: The payment for burial and funeral expenses increases from $2,000 to $3,000, providing more financial support in the case of death from a service-connected disability (Section 2(1) and (2)).
-
Protection against inflation: The Secretary must provide a percentage increase in the benefit amount based on the Consumer Price Index, ensuring the payment keeps up with rising costs (Section 2(3)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts for individuals or groups of people are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — Directly increases financial benefits for veterans' burial and funeral expenses. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Additional financial support for funeral expenses is most impactful for low-income families. Would retired people be better off under this? — Retiring veterans are primary beneficiaries of this act. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Many senior veterans and their families benefit from increased burial funds. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Provides helpful financial relief for burial costs. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Benefit applies specifically to deaths from service-connected disabilities. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Provides a benefit, though the impact is less significant than for low-income households.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — Significantly increases the burial benefit amount and ties it to inflation. Does this reduce what is spent on the military? — Increases spending within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill increases the amount of funds paid out for burial expenses. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — Increasing benefit payments slightly increases government expenditures.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Increases financial assistance for families facing funeral costs for veterans.
- 4/29/2026
- Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
- 3/17/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Angus KingIndependent · Maine