106 STAT. 4322

PUBLIC LAW 102-568—OCT. 29, 1992

38 USC 1311
note.

38 USC 1311
note.

"(2) The rate under paragraph (1) shall be increased by $165
in the case of the death of a veteran who at the time of death
was in receipt of or was entitled to receive (or but for the receipt
of retired pay or retirement pay was entitled to receive) compensa-
tion for a service-connected disability that was rated totally dis-
abling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately
preceding death. In determining the period of a veteran's disability
for purposes of the preceding sentence, only periods in which the
veteran was married to the surviving spouse shall be considered.

"(3) In the case of dependency and indemnity compensation
paid to a surviving spouse that is predicated on the death of
a veteran before January 1, 1993, the monthly rate of such com-
pensation shall be the amount based on the pay grade of such
veteran, as set forth in the following table, if the amount is greater
than the total amount determined with respect to that veteran
under paragraphs (1) and (2):".

(b) ADDITIONAL RATE FOR SURVIVING SPOUSE WITH MINOR CHIL-
DREN.—Subsection (b) of such section is amended by striking out
"$71 for each such child" and inserting in lieu thereof "$100 for
each such child during fiscal year 1993, $150 for each such child
during fiscal year 1994, and $200 for each such child thereafter".

(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on January 1, 1993.

(d) PAYMENT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF REVISIONS.—The costs
of implementing, during fiscal years 1993 and 1994, any revisions
in the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to
surviving spouses under section 1311 of title 38, United States
Code, that result from the amendments made by subsections (a)
and (b) shall be paid from amounts available to the Department
of Veterans Affairs for the payment of compensation and pension.

38 USC 103 note. SEC. 103. EXCEPTION TO OPERATION OF OBRA PROVISION.

(a) EXCEPTION.—The amendments made by section 8004 of
the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (105 Stat. 424)
shall not apply to any case in which a legal proceeding to terminate
an existing marital relationship was commenced before Novem-
ber 1, 1990, by an individual described in subsection (b) if that
proceeding directly resulted in the termination of such marriage.

(b) COVERED INDIVIDUALS.—An individual referred to in sub-
section (a) is an individual who, but for the marital relationship
referred to in subsection (a), would be considered to be the surviving
spouse of a veteran.

38 USC 1310 SEC. 104. GAO REPORT RELATING TO THE PROVISION OF BENEFITS

note TO SURVIVORS OF VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE

ARMED FORCES.

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the United States
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate
and House of Representatives a report with respect to the most
appropriate combination of financial, health-care, educational, and
other survivor benefits to meet the needs of survivors of veterans.

(b) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—The report shall include the
following:

(1) A review and compilation of data on current and pro-
posed survivor benefits programs that will permit an assess-
ment of the adequacy of such benefits programs, including
information on—