[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 189 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 84
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 189
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for annual cost-of-
living adjustments to be made automatically by law each year in the
rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected
disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for
survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 3, 2021
Mr. Thune (for himself, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Sinema, Ms.
Hassan, Mr. Tester, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Brown, and Mr.
Sanders) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
June 24, 2021
Reported by Mr. Tester, with an amendment and an amendment to the title
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for annual cost-of-
living adjustments to be made automatically by law each year in the
rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected
disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for
survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Disability
Compensation Automatic COLA Act of 2021''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC ANNUAL INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY
COMPENSATION AND DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY
COMPENSATION.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Indexing to Social Security Increases.--Section 5312
of title 38, United States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection
(d);</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the
following new subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(c)(1) Whenever there is an increase in benefit amounts
payable under title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et
seq.) as a result of a determination made under section 215(i) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)), the Secretary shall, effective on the date of
such increase in benefit amounts, increase the dollar amounts in effect
for the payment of disability compensation and dependency and indemnity
compensation by the Secretary, as specified in paragraph (2), as such
amounts were in effect immediately before the date of such increase in
benefit amounts payable under title II of the Social Security Act, by
the same percentage as the percentage by which such benefit amounts are
increased.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) The dollar amounts to be increased pursuant to
paragraph (1) are the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) Disability compensation.--Each of the dollar
amounts in effect under section 1114 of this title.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) Additional compensation for dependents.--
Each of the dollar amounts in effect under section 1115(1) of
this title.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) Clothing allowance.--The dollar amount in
effect under section 1162 of this title.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) New dic rates.--Each of the dollar amounts
in effect under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1311(a) of
this title.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(E) Old dic rates.--Each of the dollar amounts
in effect under section 1311(a)(3) of this title.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(F) Additional dic for surviving spouses with
minor children.--The dollar amount in effect under section
1311(b) of this title.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(G) Additional dic for disability.--Each of the
dollar amounts in effect under subsections (c) and (d) of
section 1311 of this title.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(H) DIC for dependent children.--Each of the
dollar amounts in effect under sections 1313(a) and 1314 of
this title.''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) by adding at the end of subsection (d), as
redesignated by paragraph (1), the following new
paragraph:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) Whenever there is an increase under subsection
(c)(1) in amounts in effect for the payment of disability compensation
and dependency and indemnity compensation, the Secretary shall publish
such amounts, as increased pursuant to such subsection, in the Federal
Register at the same time as the material required by section
215(i)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(2)(D)) is
published by reason of a determination under section 215(i) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 415(i)).''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Effective Date.--Subsection (c) of section 5312 of
title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this
section, shall take effect on the first day of the first calendar year
that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-
Living Adjustment Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND DEPENDENCY AND
INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.
(a) Rate Adjustment.--Effective on December 1, 2021, the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall increase, in accordance with subsection (c),
the dollar amounts in effect on November 30, 2021, for the payment of
disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation under
the provisions specified in subsection (b).
(b) Amounts To Be Increased.--The dollar amounts to be increased
pursuant to subsection (a) are the following:
(1) Wartime disability compensation.--Each of the dollar
amounts under section 1114 of title 38, United States Code.
(2) Additional compensation for dependents.--Each of the
dollar amounts under section 1115(1) of such title.
(3) Clothing allowance.--The dollar amount under section
1162 of such title.
(4) Dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving
spouse.--Each of the dollar amounts under subsections (a)
through (d) of section 1311 of such title.
(5) Dependency and indemnity compensation to children.--
Each of the dollar amounts under sections 1313(a) and 1314 of
such title.
(c) Determination of Increase.--Each dollar amount described in
subsection (b) shall be increased by the same percentage as the
percentage by which benefit amounts payable under title II of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) are increased effective
December 1, 2021, as a result of a determination under section 215(i)
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)).
(d) Special Rule.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may adjust
administratively, consistent with the increases made under subsection
(a), the rates of disability compensation payable to persons under
section 10 of Public Law 85-857 (72 Stat. 1263) who have not received
compensation under chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code.
SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF ADJUSTED RATES.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall publish in the Federal
Register the amounts specified in section 2(b), as increased under that
section, not later than the date on which the matters specified in
section 215(i)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
415(i)(2)(D)) are required to be published by reason of a determination
made under section 215(i) of such Act during fiscal year 2022.
Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to increase,
effective as of December 1, 2021, the rates of compensation for
veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of
dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of
certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.''.
Calendar No. 84
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 189
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for annual cost-of-
living adjustments to be made automatically by law each year in the
rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected
disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for
survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 24, 2021
Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the title