H.R. 4637

Summary

H.R. 4637, the Veterans’ Surviving Spouse Equity Act of 2025, was introduced in the House on Jul 23, 2025 by Rep. Julia Brownley (D). It was referred to Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, and last saw action on Dec 19, 2025: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

Record

Text

H.R. 4637 has no co-sponsors and has not gone to a roll call.

119 HR 4637 IH: Veterans’ Surviving Spouse Equity Act of 2025
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-07-23
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 4637  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   July 23, 2025   Ms. Brownley  introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Veterans' Affairs    A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for certain benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for veterans rated totally disabled at death to certain surviving spouses.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Veterans’ Surviving Spouse Equity Act of 2025  .
2.
Expansion of eligibility for certain benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for survivors of certain veterans rated totally disabled at time of death
Subsection (c) of section 1318 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking (or);
(2)
in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; or ; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(3)
the surviving spouse—
(A)
was married to the veteran for a period of one year or more immediately preceding the veteran's death; or
(B)
lived with the veteran in the same household for at least one year immediately preceding the veteran's death and held themselves to the public as the spouse of the veteran during such period, regardless of whether the veteran or the surviving spouse entered into another legal or religious marriage during such period.
 .

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for certain benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for veterans rated totally disabled at death to certain surviving spouses.

Sponsors

Rep. Julia Brownley (D) sponsors H.R. 4637 alone.

Julia Brownley

Rep. · D–CA-26 · Sponsor

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Committees

H.R. 4637 went before 2 committees: Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee and Veterans' Affairs.

Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee

Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee

Referred to · Dec 19, 2025 · 62 Bills

Veterans' Affairs

Veterans' Affairs

Referred To · Jul 23, 2025 · 285 Bills

Actions

H.R. 4637 has taken 3 actions since Jul 23, 2025, the latest on Dec 19, 2025.

Votes

H.R. 4637 has not gone to a roll call.

Titles

H.R. 4637 goes by 3 titles, 1 of them short titles.

• Veterans’ Surviving Spouse Equity Act of 2025 — Display Title
• To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for certain benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for veterans rated totally disabled at death to certain surviving spouses. — Official Title as Introduced
• Veterans’ Surviving Spouse Equity Act of 2025 — Short Title(s) as Introduced

Lobbying

4 clients hired 4 firms and 20 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 4637 in 15 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Taxation/Internal Revenue Code, Veterans, Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities, Insurance, Retirement, Government Issues, Housing, Budget/Appropriations.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill.

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 4637 under Armed Forces and National Security, one of its 31 policy areas.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 4637’s is Armed Forces and National Security.

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 4637, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 126 (Wednesday, July 23, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Ms. BROWNLEY:H.R. 4637.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article 1 Section 8[Page H3647]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com