Senators Kim, Daines Reintroduce Legislation to Improve Access to VA Benefits

WASHINGTON D.C. –Today, SenatorsAndy Kim (D-NJ)andSteve Daines (R-MT)reintroduced legislation to prevent the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) from retroactively collecting already approved pension benefits from a veterans’ family after the death of the beneficiary.
“Our debt of gratitude to those who wear our country’s uniform must extend to their families and loved ones for their own service and sacrifice,”said Senator Kim.“With this legislation, we can give these families back some peace of mind and alleviate potential financial burdens they shouldn’t have to carry as they mourn their loved one.”
“Our veterans have served our country bravely and were willing to put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms. The least we can do is ensure that their families are not burdened with prorated benefits programs in their time of grieving. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to support our military families by improving the pension benefits payment process,”said Senator Daines.
The bipartisanNext of Kin Collections Protections Actwould help ensure veterans receive their accrued pension benefit even in the event of a Month of Death claim, which is a benefit paid to a surviving spouse of a veteran who was receiving VA compensation or pension benefits when they died, or if payment for the month of the death has been issued. This bill improves the VA’s process of issuing pension benefits by preventing the VA from collecting pension benefits that were approved before the death but paid out afterwards due to processing delays at the VA Pension Management Center.
Daines and Kim also introduced the bill in the 118thCongress. Read the press releasehere.
Senator Kim is a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and the Special Committee on Aging. Before being elected to the U.S. Senate, Kim represented New Jersey’s Third Congressional District in the U.S. House and was a career public servant working in national security and diplomacy at the White House, State Department, and Pentagon. Learn more about Senator Kim’s service on behalf of New Jerseyhere.

Hart Senate Office BuildingSuite 520Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4744
210 Hudson StreetHarborside 3, Suite 1000Jersey City, NJ 07311
Phone: (201) 377-0900
208 White Horse PikeSuite 18Barrington, NJ 08007
Phone: (856) 757-5353