To amend title 38, United States Code, to repeal the two-year limitation on the payment of accrued benefits that are due and unpaid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs upon the death of a veteran or other beneficiary under laws administered by the Secretary.

January 8, 2003

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. EVANS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

To amend title 38, United States Code, to repeal the two-year limitation on the payment of accrued benefits that are due and unpaid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs upon the death of a veteran or other beneficiary under laws administered by the Secretary.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Veterans Beneficiary Fairness Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. PAYMENT OF ACCRUED BENEFITS.

(a) REPEAL OF LIMITATION ON PAYMENT- Subsection (a) of section 5121 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking `for a period not to exceed two years' in the matter preceding paragraph (1).

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect with respect to deaths occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

END