Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 90 Part 1.djvu/1426

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PUBLIC LAW 94-000—MMMM. DD, 1976

90 STAT. 1376

Children.

Children, supplemental compensation.

Study. 38 USC 410 note. 38 USC 401 et seq.

Report.

Ante, p. 1375.

.

PUBLIC LAW 94-433—SEPT. 30, 1976 " (b) If there is a surviving spouse with one or more children below the age of eighteen of a deceased veteran, the dependency and indemnity compensation paid monthly to the surviving spouse shall be increased by $31 for each such child. "(c) The monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to a surviving spouse shall be increased by $78 if the spouse is (1) a patient in a nursing home or (2) helpless or blind, or so nearly helpless or blind as to need or require the regular aid and attendance of another person,". SFX. 202. Section 413 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: "Whenever there is no suriving spouse of a deceased veteran entitled to dependency and indemnity compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation shall be paid in equal sluires to the children of the deceased veteran at the following monthly rates: "(1) one child, $131; "(2) two children, $189; "(3) three children, $243; and "(4) more than three children. $243, plus $49 for each child in excess of three.". SEC. 203. Section 414 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking out in subsection (a) "$72" and inserting in lieu thereof "$78"; (2) by striking out in subsection (b) "$121" and inserting in lieu thereof "$131"; and (3) by striking out in subsection (c) "$62" and inserting in lieu thereof "$67". SEC. 204. (a) The Administrator shall carry out a thorough and detailed study of the dependency and indemnity compensation program authorized under chapter 13 of this title and of its beneficiaries to measure and evaluate the adequacy of benefits provided under this program and to determine whether, or to what extent, benefits should be based on the military pay grade of the person upon whose death entitlement is predicated. (b) The report of such study shall include such full statistical data as may be obtained concerning surviving spouses and dependents in receipt of dependency and indemnity compensation other than under section 415 of title 38, United States Code, and in each instance the data shall include a breakdown of the distribution of the surviving spouses and dependents amongst the pay grade levels set forth in section 411(a) of title 38, United States Code. Data concerning such surviving spouses and dependents shall include (1) full statistical information concerning the number and ages of surviving spouses and dependents, the number of surviving spouses that remarry, the number of surviving spouses with dependents, and the number of surviving spouses in receipt of aid and attendance; (2) full statistical information concerning the number of surviving spouses and the number of dependents in receipt of old-age, survivors, and disability insurance (OASDI) cash benefits and the amount and type thereof, the number of surviving spouses and the number of dependents in receipt of other Federal or State assistance and the amount and type thereof, the number of surviving spouses in receipt of State survivor benefits and the amount and type thereof to include a breakdown by State, and the numl)er of surviving spouses who work and their earnings therefrom; (3) full statistical information concerning the educational attainment of the survivor's deceased spouse; and (4) full statistical information concerning those surviving spouses whose veteran spouse was in receipt