{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://pappas.house.gov/media/press-releases/pappas-reintroduces-bipartisan-package-to-improve-veterans-insurance-and-veteran-survivors-benefits", "Pappas Reintroduces Bipartisan Package to Improve Veterans\u2019 Insurance and Veteran Survivors\u2019 Benefits", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NH", "Chris Pappas", "P000614", "pappas.house.gov", "pappas", "https://pappas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Ranking Member of the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, introduced three bipartisan bills to improve processes at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and expand eligibility for survivors\u2019 benefits, insurance coverage, and burial processes. These bills are the Gulf War Survivor Benefits Update Act, co-led by Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02), as well as the VA Insurance Improvement Act, and Veterans\u2019 Burial Improvement Act, both co-led by Congressman James Moylan (GU-AL).\n\n\u201cService members, veterans, and their families deserve our utmost respect for the sacrifices they make for us and our country. These bipartisan bills make commonsense improvements to these programs and take a small step towards repaying the debt we owe our veterans and their families,\u201d said Congressman Pappas. \u201cMy legislation would protect survivors' pensions for Gulf War spouses and dependents, make all veterans under the age of 81 years old eligible for VA Life Insurance, and extend burial benefits to family members who predecease their veteran family members but wish to be buried together. I will continue to advocate for these changes and further improvements to VA processes that will cut red tape and improve benefits for veterans and their families.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Gulf War Survivor Benefits Update Act would ensure surviving spouses of Gulf War veterans remain eligible for survivors\u2019 pension by extending the statutory marriage delimiting date.\n\nThe VA Insurance Improvement Act would improve and update VA insurance coverage. Specifically, it would:\n\nExtend eligibility for VA Life Insurance (VALife) coverage for all veterans under 81 years old, regardless of service-connected disability status;\n\nAllow for Veterans\u2019 Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) administrative expenses to be reimbursed from the VMLI program funds;\n\nAdd Space Force to the definition of \u201cuniformed service\u201d for the purpose of eligibility for the Servicemembers\u2019 Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program.\n\nThe Veterans\u2019 Burial Improvement Act would update burial standards and eligibility for service members\u2019 families, Medal of Honor recipients, and veterans. Specifically, it would:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://pappas.house.gov/media/press-releases/pappas-reintroduces-bipartisan-package-to-improve-veterans-insurance-and-veteran-survivors-benefits"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5781139954924583, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}