Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 89.djvu/457

 PUBLIC LAW 94-71—AUG. 5, 1975

89 STAT. 397

"(b) If there is a widow with one or more children below the age of eighteen of a deceased veteran, the dependency and indemnity compensation paid monthly to the widow shall be increased by $29 for each snch child. "(c) The monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to a widow shall be increased by $72 if she is (1) a patient in a nursing home or (2) helpless or blind, or so nearly helpless oi* blind as to need or require the regular aid and attendance of anothei' person.". SEC. 202. Section 413 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to Children, read as follows: "Whenever there is no widow of a deceased veteran entitled to dependency and indemnity compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation shall be paid in equal shares to the children of the deceased veteran at the following monthly rates: "(1) One child, $12L "(2) Two children, $175. "(3) Three children. $225. "(4) More than three children, $225, plus $45 for each child in excess of three.". SEC. 203. (a) Subsection (a) of section 414 of title 38, United States Children, Code, is amended by striking out "$64" and inserting in lieu thereof supplemental compensation. "$72". (b) Subsection (b) of section 414 of such title is amended by striking out "$108" and inserting in lieu thereof "$121". (c) Subsection (c) of section 414 of such title is amended by striking out "$55" and inserting in lieu thereof "$62". SEC. 204. (a) The Administrator of Veterans' Affairs shall make a Study. detailed study of claims for dependency and indemnity compensation 38 USC 411 note. relating to veterans, as defined in section 101(2), title 38, United States Code, who at time of death during the six-month period September 1. 1975, to March 1, 1976, were receiving disability compensation from the Veterans' Administration based upon a rating total and permanent in nature. (b) The report of such study shall include (1) the number of the Report, described cases; (2) die number of cases in which the specified benefit was denied; (3) an analysis of the reasons for each such denial; (4) an analysis of any difficulty which may have been encountered by the claimant in attempting to establish that the death of the veteran concerned was connected with his or her military, naval, or air service in the Armed Forces of the United States; (5) data regarding the current financial status of the widow, widower, children, and parents in each case of denial; and (6) an analysis of whether there has been a significant increase in the use of discretionary authority consistent with revised Veterans' Administration program guide instructions issued March 27, 1975 concerning rating practices and procedures.

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