US HB4637

Amends 38 U.S.C. § 1318 to expand Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) eligibility for surviving spouses of veterans who were rated totally disabled at death

Qualifying surviving spouses must have been legally married to the veteran for at least one year immediately before the veteran's death

Alternatively qualifies surviving spouses who lived with the veteran in the same household for at least one year before death and publicly held themselves out as the veteran's spouse

The cohabitation pathway applies regardless of whether the veteran or surviving spouse entered into another legal or religious marriage during that period

Introduced July 23, 2025 by Rep. Brownley and referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs