Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025

This bill would expand eligibility for increased dependency and indemnity compensation for the surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), regardless of how long the veteran was disabled by the disease before death. Under current requirements, the veteran must have been rated totally disabled for at least eight years prior to death, but this proposal would waive that timeframe for ALS cases provided the spouse was married to the veteran for at least eight years. Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs would be required to identify and report on other service-connected disabilities that should receive similar compensation treatment.

This bill affects surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), provided the spouse was married to the veteran for at least eight years prior to their death. It also impacts the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which would be required to provide increased compensation regardless of the duration of the veteran's disability and report on other service-connected disabilities that may warrant similar treatment.

• Expansion of increased dependency and indemnity compensation. The bill allows surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to receive increased compensation regardless of the duration the veteran was disabled by the disease prior to death.
• Marriage duration requirement for ALS-related benefits. To qualify for the increased compensation related to a veteran's death from ALS, the surviving spouse must have been married to the veteran for a continuous period of at least eight years before the veteran's death.
• Report on additional service-connected disabilities. The Department of Veterans Affairs is required to submit a report identifying other service-connected disabilities that should receive the same compensation treatment as ALS for surviving spouses.

This bill modifies existing dependency and indemnity compensation requirements by removing the rule that a veteran must have been rated totally disabled for at least eight years prior to death for survivors of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It also directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to identify other service-connected disabilities that should be treated under the same compensation standards as ALS.

The bill aims to expand eligibility for increased dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by removing the requirement that the veteran be rated totally disabled for eight years prior to death. It also requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to identify other service-connected disabilities that should receive similar treatment regarding survivor compensation.