January 22, 2026
Mr. Bergman (for himself, Ms. Budzinski, Mr. Golden of Maine, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Self, Ms. Lee of Nevada, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Neguse, Mr. DesJarlais, Mr. Mast, Mr. Baird, and Ms. Pettersen) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide a burial allowance for certain veterans who die at home while in receipt of hospice care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Gerald’s Law Act
.
Sec. 2. Burial allowance for certain veterans who die at home while in receipt of hospice care furnished by Department of Veterans Affairs
(a) In general
Section 2303(a)(2)(A) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in clause (i), by striking ; or
and inserting a semicolon;
(2)
in clause (ii)(III), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or
; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following new clause:
(iii)
a home or other setting at which the deceased veteran was, at the time of death, receiving hospice care pursuant to section 1717(a) of this title if such care was directly preceded by the Secretary furnishing to the veteran hospital care or nursing home care as described in subclauses (I), (II), or (III) of clause (ii).
(b) Effective date
The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–315).