Sergeant Gary Beikirch Medal of Honor Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 803
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-03-04: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-10T08:05:57Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Sergeant Gary Beikirch Medal of Honor Act (H.R. 803) aims to provide greater financial support to surviving spouses of Medal of Honor recipients by allowing them to receive both a special pension and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) at the same time. DIC is a tax-free monetary benefit paid to eligible survivors of military veterans who died in the line of duty or from a service-related illness or injury.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 1562(a)(2) of Title 38, United States Code, which governs the special pension for Medal of Honor recipients and their survivors.
- Specifically removes subparagraph (C), which previously prohibited the special pension from being paid alongside DIC or other similar survivor benefits.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Under current law, surviving spouses of Medal of Honor recipients cannot receive the special pension (a monthly payment of $1,000 or more, adjusted for cost-of-living) if they are already receiving DIC (typically around $1,500 monthly, plus additional amounts for dependents).
- This bill eliminates that restriction, enabling concurrent receipt of both benefits without offset or reduction.
Potential Impacts
- On citizens: Surviving spouses will gain access to increased financial assistance, potentially improving their economic security. This affects a small number of individuals, as there are fewer than 70 living Medal of Honor recipients, and even fewer surviving spouses eligible for these benefits.
- On government agencies: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will need to update its administration and payment systems to process concurrent benefits, which may involve minor procedural adjustments but no significant new funding requirements.
- On international relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses solely on domestic veterans' benefits.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Primary beneficiaries: Surviving spouses (widows or widowers) of deceased Medal of Honor recipients.
- Government entities: The Department of Veterans Affairs, responsible for calculating and disbursing benefits.
- Indirectly: Veterans' advocacy groups and congressional committees on veterans' affairs, which may monitor implementation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens the framework of veterans' benefits under Title 38 by removing a prior offset rule, ensuring alignment with the intent to honor extraordinary military service. No conflicts with broader entitlement laws are evident.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority under Article I, Section 8 to provide for the military and related benefits; no First Amendment, due process, or equal protection issues arise.
- Political: Represents a bipartisan effort (introduced by members from both parties) to recognize and support a select group of heroes, potentially setting a precedent for refining survivor benefits without broad fiscal controversy, given the limited scope.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]
Cosponsors (5)
Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
Recent Actions
- 2025-03-04: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Sergeant Gary Beikirch Medal of Honor Act — issued 2025-01-28 — PDF (2 pages)