S.749 - Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025 (119th Congress)
Summary
S.749, the Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025, aims to amend Title 38 of the United States Code to extend increased dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving spouses of veterans who died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This applies regardless of how long the veteran had the disease prior to death. The bill was introduced in the Senate on February 26, 2025, and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Expected Effects
The primary effect of this bill is to provide financial support to surviving spouses of veterans who die from ALS. It removes the requirement of a minimum duration of the disease for eligibility for increased dependency and indemnity compensation. This change would apply retroactively to veterans who died from ALS on or after October 1, 2022.
Potential Benefits
- Provides increased financial support to surviving spouses of veterans who died from ALS.
- Removes a potentially burdensome requirement related to the duration of the disease.
- Offers retroactive benefits to surviving spouses of veterans who died from ALS on or after October 1, 2022.
- Acknowledges the sacrifices of veterans who suffer from ALS.
- May encourage more veterans to seek early diagnosis and treatment for ALS.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- May increase government spending on veteran benefits.
- Could potentially create a precedent for extending similar benefits to other diseases without duration requirements.
- The retroactive application may present administrative challenges.
- Limited impact on the broader population, focusing specifically on a subset of veterans and their families.
- The bill does not address the underlying causes or treatment of ALS.
Most Disadvantaged Areas:
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the Constitution's mandate to "provide for the common defence" and "promote the general Welfare" (Preamble). By supporting veterans and their families, the government fulfills its obligation to those who have served the nation. Article I, Section 8 grants Congress the power to provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States, which can be interpreted to include providing benefits to veterans and their families.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).