The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“ENSURING SURVIVOR BENEFITS DURING COVID-19 ACT OF 2021” mentioning Tina Smith was published in the Senate section on page S5023 on July 21.
Of the 100 senators in 117th Congress, 24 percent were women, and 76 percent were men, according to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Senators' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
ENSURING SURVIVOR BENEFITS DURING COVID-19 ACT OF 2021
Ms. SMITH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 83, S. 89.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 89) to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to secure medical opinions for veterans with service-connected disabilities who die from COVID-19 to determine whether their service-connected disabilities were the principal or contributory causes of death, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, which had been reported from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following
S. 89
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 ``Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. MEDICAL OPINIONS FOR CERTAIN VETERANS WITH SERVICE-
CONNECTED DISABILITIES WHO DIE OF COVID-19.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall secure a medical opinion to determine if a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death before notifying the survivor of the final decision in any case in which all of the following factors are met:
(1) A claim for compensation is filed under chapter 13 of title 38, Unites States Code, with respect to a veteran with one or more service-connected disabilities who dies.
(2) The death certificate for the veteran identifies Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as the principal or contributory cause of death.
(3) The death certificate does not clearly identify any of the service-connected disabilities of the veteran as the principal or contributory cause of death.
(4) A service-connected disability of the veteran includes a condition more likely to cause severe illness from COVID-19 as determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(5) The claimant is not entitled to benefits under section 1318 of such title.
(6) The evidence to support the claim does not result in a preliminary finding in favor of the claimant.
(b) Outreach.--The Secretary shall provide information to veterans, dependents, and veterans service organizations about applying to dependency and indemnity compensation when a veteran dies from COVID-19. The Secretary shall provide such information through the website of the Department of Veterans Affairs and via other outreach mechanisms.
Ms. SMITH. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The committee-reported amendment, in the nature of a substitute, was agreed to.
The bill (S. 89), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed.
____________________
Alerts Sign-up