12 2 STA T .4 1 56PUBLIC LA W 11 0–389—O CT. 10 , 2008 (4)FINALREPO R T.—Notla t er t h a n180d a ys a f ter the c o mp let i on of each pilot pro g ram carried o u t under this section , the S ecretary shall su b mit to C ongress a final report on the feasibility and ad v isability of continuing or e x panding the respective pilot program. SEC.2 22. OF F I CEOFS URV IVORS A SSIS T A N CE. (a) I N G ENERAL.—Chapter 3 is amended by adding at the end the follo w ing new section
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‘ §321.Of f iceo f Surv ivor sA ssis tan ce ‘ ‘(a) ES TA B LIS HM ENT.— T he Secretary shall establish in the D epartment an O ffice of Survivors A ssistance (in this section referred to as the ‘Office ’ ) to serve as a resource regarding all benefits and services furnished by the Department— ‘‘(1) to survivors and dependents of deceased veterans
and ‘‘( 2 ) to survivors and dependents of deceased members of the Armed Forces. ‘‘(b) A DV ISOR Y D U TIES.—The Office shall serve as a primary advisor to the Secretary on all matters related to the policies, programs, legislative issues, and other initiatives affecting the sur - vivors and dependents described in subsection (a). ‘‘(c) GUIDAN C E FROM STA K EHOLDERS.—In establishing the Office, the Secretary shall see k guidance from interested stake- holders. ‘‘(d) R ESOURCES.—The Secretary shall ensure that appropriate personnel, funding, and other resources are provided to the Office to carry out its responsibilities. ‘‘(e) INCLUSION O F INFORMATION ON OFFICE IN ANNUAL REPORT ON DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary shall include in each annual P erformance and Accountability report submitted by the Secretary to Congress a description of the activities of the Office during the fiscal year covered by such report.’’. (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at the begin- ning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: ‘ ‘ 321.Of f iceo f Surv ivor sA ssis tan ce. ’ ’. SEC. 22 3 . CO MP TRO L LER G ENERAL REPORT ON A D E Q UAC Y OF DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION TO MAIN - TAIN SURVIVORS OF VETERANS WH O DIE FROM SERVICE- CONNECTED DISA B ILITIES. (a) REPORT RE Q UIRED.—Not later than 10 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the U nited States shall submit to the Committees on V eterans’ Affairs and Appropriations of the Senate and the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and Appropriations of the H ouse of Representa- tives a report on the ade q uacy of dependency and indemnity com- pensation payable under chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, to surviving spouses and dependents of veterans who die as a result of a service-connected disability in replacing the deceased veteran’s income. (b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection (a) shall include— (1) a description of the current system for the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving
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