Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 1999

Summary: Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase, as of December 1, 1999, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. 
Requires each such increase to be the same percentage as the increase provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date, and to be published at the same time the latter increases are published. 
Revises codified amounts to reflect the December 1, 1998, cost-of-living adjustment to the veterans' compensation rates.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-
Living Adjustment Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE.

    Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a section or other provision of title 38, United States 
Code.

SEC. 3. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND DEPENDENCY AND 
              INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.

    (a) Rate Adjustment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, 
effective on December 1, 1999, increase the dollar amounts in effect 
for the payment of disability compensation and dependency and indemnity 
compensation by the Secretary, as specified in subsection (b).
    (b) Amounts To Be Increased.--The dollar amounts to be increased 
pursuant to subsection (a) are the following:
            (1) Compensation.--Each of the dollar amounts in effect 
        under section 1114 of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) Additional compensation for dependents.--Each of the 
        dollar amounts in effect under sections 1115(1) of such title.
            (3) Clothing allowance.--The dollar amount in effect under 
        section 1162 of such title.
            (4) New dic rates.--The dollar amounts in effect under 
        paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1311(a) of such title.
            (5) Old dic rates.--Each of the dollar amounts in effect 
        under section 1311(a)(3) of such title.
            (6) Additional dic for surviving spouses with minor 
        children.--The dollar amount in effect under section 1311(b) of 
        such title.
            (7) Additional dic for disability.--The dollar amounts in 
        effect under sections 1311(c) and 1311(d) of such title.
            (8) DIC for dependent children.--The dollar amounts in 
        effect under sections 1313(a) and 1314 of such title.
    (c) Determination of Increase.--(1) The increase under subsection 
(a) shall be made in the dollar amounts specified in subsection (b) as 
in effect on November 30, 1999.
    (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), each such amount 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, 1999, as a result of a 
determination under section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)).
    (3) Each dollar amount increased pursuant to paragraph (2) shall, 
if not a whole dollar amount, be rounded down to the next lower whole 
dollar amount.
    (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 within the 
purview of section 10 of Public Law 85-857 (72 Stat. 1263) who are not 
in receipt of compensation payable pursuant to chapter 11 of title 38, 
United States Code.

SEC. 4. PUBLICATION OF ADJUSTED RATES.

    At the same time as 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 2000, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall publish in the Federal Register the amounts specified in 
subsection (b) of section 3, as increased pursuant to that section.

SEC. 5. DISABILITY COMPENSATION RATE AMENDMENTS.

    Section 1114 is amended--
            (1) by striking ``$95'' in subsection (a) and inserting 
        ``$96'';
            (2) by striking ``$182'' in subsection (b) and inserting 
        ``$184'';
            (3) by striking ``$279'' in subsection (c) and inserting 
        ``$282'';
            (4) by striking ``$399'' in subsection (d) and inserting 
        ``$404'';
            (5) by striking ``$569'' in subsection (e) and inserting 
        ``$576'';
            (6) by striking ``$717'' in subsection (f) and inserting 
        ``$726'';
            (7) by striking ``$905'' in subsection (g) and inserting 
        ``$916'';
            (8) by striking ``$1,049'' in subsection (h) and inserting 
        ``$1,062'';
            (9) by striking ``$1,181'' in subsection (i) and inserting 
        ``$1,196'';
            (10) by striking ``$1,964'' in subsection (j) and inserting 
        ``$1,989'';
            (11) by striking ``$2,443'' and ``$3,426'' in subsection 
        (k) and inserting ``$2,474'' and ``$3,470'', respectively;
            (12) by striking ``$2,443'' in subsection (l) and inserting 
        ``$2,474'';
            (13) by striking ``$2,694'' in subsection (m) and inserting 
        ``$2,729'';
            (14) by striking ``$3,066'' in subsection (n) and inserting 
        ``$3,105'';
            (15) by striking ``$3,426'' each place it appears in 
        subsections (o) and (p) and inserting ``$3,470'';
            (16) by striking ``$1,471'' and ``$2,190'' in subsection 
        (r) and inserting ``$1,490'' and ``$2,218'', respectively; and
            (17) by striking ``$2,199'' in subsection (s) and inserting 
        ``$2,227''.

SEC. 6. RATE AMENDMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR DEPENDENTS.

    Section 1115(1) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``$114'' in clause (A) and inserting 
        ``$115'';
            (2) by striking ``$195'' in clause (B) and inserting 
        ``$197'';
            (3) by striking ``$78'' in clause (C) and inserting 
        ``$79'';
            (4) by striking ``$92'' in clause (D) and inserting 
        ``$93'';
            (5) by striking ``$215'' in clause (E) and inserting 
        ``$217''; and
            (6) by striking ``$180'' in clause (F) and inserting 
        ``$182''.

SEC. 7. RATE AMENDMENT FOR CLOTHING ALLOWANCE FOR CERTAIN DISABLED 
              VETERANS.

    Section 1162 is amended by striking ``$528'' and inserting 
``$534''.

SEC. 8. RATE AMENDMENTS FOR DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR 
              SURVIVING SPOUSES.

    (a) New Law Rates.--Section 1311(a) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``$850'' in paragraph (1) and inserting 
        ``$861''; and
            (2) by striking ``$185'' in paragraph (2) and inserting 
        ``$187''.
    (b) Old Law Rates.--The table in section 1311(a)(3) is amended to 
read as follows:

  

                                  Monthly                       Monthly
``Pay grade                          rate   Pay grade              rate
    E-1......................        $861       W-4........      $1,030
    E-2......................         861       O-1........         909
    E-3......................         861       O-2........         940
    E-4......................         861       O-3........       1,004
    E-5......................         861       O-4........       1,062
    E-6......................         861       O-5........       1,170
    E-7......................         890       O-6........       1,318
    E-8......................         940       O-7........       1,424
    E-9......................      \1\980       O-8........       1,561
    W-1......................         909       O-9........       1,672
    W-2......................         946       O-10.......    \2\1,834
    W-3......................         974
 
``\1\If the veteran served as sergeant major of the Army, senior
  enlisted advisor of the Navy, chief master sergeant of the Air Force,
  sergeant major of the Marine Corps, or master chief petty officer of
  the Coast Guard, at the applicable time designated by section 1302 of
  this title, the surviving spouse's rate shall be $1,057.
``\2\If the veteran served as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint
  Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval
  Operations, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Commandant of the Marine
  Corps, or Commandant of the Coast Guard, at the applicable time
  designated by section 1302 of this title, the surviving spouse's rate
  shall be $1,966.''.

    (c) Additional DIC for Children.--Section 1311(b) is amended by 
striking ``$215'' and inserting ``$217''.
    (d) Aid and Attendance Allowance.--Section 1311(c) is amended by 
striking ``$215'' and inserting ``$217''.
    (e) Housebound Rate.--Section 1311(d) is amended by striking 
``$104'' and inserting ``$105''.

SEC. 9. RATE AMENDMENTS FOR DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR 
              CHILDREN.

    (a) DIC for Orphan Children.--Section 1313(a) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``$361'' in paragraph (1) and inserting 
        ``$365'';
            (2) by striking ``$520'' in paragraph (2) and inserting 
        ``$526'';
            (3) by striking ``$675'' in paragraph (3) and inserting 
        ``$683''; and
            (4) by striking ``$675'' and ``$132'' in paragraph (4) and 
        inserting ``$683'' and ``$133'', respectively.
    (b) Supplemental DIC for Disabled Adult Children.--Section 1314 is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``$215'' in subsection (a) and inserting 
        ``$217'';
            (2) by striking ``$361'' in subsection (b) and inserting 
        ``$365''; and
            (3) by striking ``$182'' in subsection (c) and inserting 
        ``$184''.

SEC. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on November 30, 
1999.