Veterans' Compensation Rate Amendments of 1997

Summary: Veterans' Compensation Rate Amendments of 1997 - Increases, as of December 1, 1997, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children (including supplemental DIC for disabled adult children).

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' 
Compensation Rate Amendments of 1997''.
    (b) References.--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. 2. DISABILITY COMPENSATION.

    (a) Increase in Rates.--Section 1114 is amended--
        (1) by striking out ``$87'' in subsection (a) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$95'';
        (2) by striking out ``$166'' in subsection (b) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$182'';
        (3) by striking out ``$253'' in subsection (c) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$279'';
        (4) by striking out ``$361'' in subsection (d) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$399'';
        (5) by striking out ``$515'' in subsection (e) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$569'';
        (6) by striking out ``$648'' in subsection (f) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$717'';
        (7) by striking out ``$819'' in subsection (g) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$905'';
        (8) by striking out ``$948'' in subsection (h) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$1,049'';
        (9) by striking out ``$1,067'' in subsection (i) and inserting 
    in lieu thereof ``$1,181'';
        (10) by striking out ``$1,774'' in subsection (j) and inserting 
    in lieu thereof ``$1,964'';
        (11) in subsection (k)--
            (A) by striking out ``$70'' both places it appears and 
        inserting in lieu thereof ``$75''; and
            (B) by striking out ``$2,207'' and ``$3,093'' and inserting 
        in lieu thereof ``$2,443'' and ``$3,426'', respectively;
        (12) by striking out ``$2,207'' in subsection (l) and inserting 
    in lieu thereof ``$2,443'';
        (13) by striking out ``$2,432'' in subsection (m) and inserting 
    in lieu thereof ``$2,694'';
        (14) by striking out ``$2,768'' in subsection (n) and inserting 
    in lieu thereof ``$3,066'';
        (15) by striking out ``$3,093'' each place it appears in 
    subsections (o) and (p) and inserting in lieu thereof ``$3,426'';
        (16) by striking out ``$1,328'' and ``$1,978'' in subsection 
    (r) and inserting in lieu thereof ``$1,471'' and ``$2,190'', 
    respectively; and
        (17) by striking out ``$1,985'' in subsection (s) and inserting 
    in lieu thereof ``$2,199''.
    (b) Special Rule.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may authorize 
administratively, consistent with the increases authorized by this 
section, the rates of disability compensation payable to persons within 
the purview of section 10 of Public Law 85-857 who are not in receipt 
of compensation payable pursuant to chapter 11 of title 38, United 
States Code.

SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR DEPENDENTS.

    Section 1115(1) is amended--
        (1) by striking out ``$105'' in clause (A) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$114'';
        (2) by striking out ``$178'' and ``$55'' in clause (B) and 
    inserting in lieu thereof ``$195'' and ``$60'', respectively;
        (3) by striking out ``$72'' and ``$55'' in clause (C) and 
    inserting in lieu thereof ``$78'' and ``$60'', respectively;
        (4) by striking out ``$84'' in clause (D) and inserting in lieu 
    thereof ``$92'';
        (5) by striking out ``$195'' in clause (E) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$215''; and
        (6) by striking out ``$164'' in clause (F) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$180''.

SEC. 4. CLOTHING ALLOWANCE FOR CERTAIN DISABLED VETERANS.

    Section 1162 is amended by striking out ``$478'' and inserting in 
lieu thereof ``$528''.

SEC. 5. DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES.

    (a) New Law Rates.--Section 1311(a) is amended--
        (1) by striking out ``$769'' in paragraph (1) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$850''; and
        (2) by striking out ``$169'' in paragraph (2) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$185''.
    (b) Old Law Rates.--The table in subsection (a)(3) is amended to 
read as follows:
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                                  Monthly                       Monthly 
``Pay grade                          rate   Pay grade              rate 
    E-1......................        $850       W-4........      $1,017 
    E-2......................         850       O-1........         898 
    E-3......................         850       O-2........         928 
    E-4......................         850       O-3........         992 
    E-5......................         850       O-4........       1,049 
    E-6......................         850       O-5........       1,155 
    E-7......................         879       O-6........       1,302 
    E-8......................         928       O-7........       1,406 
    E-9......................      \1\968       O-8........       1,541 
    W-1......................         898       O-9........       1,651 
    W-2......................         934       O-10.......    \2\1,811 
    W-3......................         962                               
                                                                        
``\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 402 of  
  this title, the surviving spouse's rate shall be $1,044.              
``\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 402 of this title, the surviving spouse's rate  
  shall be $1,941.''.                                                   

    (c) Additional DIC for Children.--Section 1311(b) is amended by 
striking out ``$100'' and all that follows and inserting in lieu 
thereof ``$215 for each such child.''.
    (d) Aid and Attendance Allowance.--Section 1311(c) is amended by 
striking out ``$195'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``$215''.
    (e) Housebound Rate.--Section 1311(d) is amended by striking out 
``$95'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``$104''.

SEC. 6. DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR CHILDREN.

    (a) DIC for Orphan Children.--Section 1313(a) is amended--
        (1) by striking out ``$327'' in paragraph (1) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$361'';
        (2) by striking out ``$471'' in paragraph (2) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$520'';
        (3) by striking out ``$610'' in paragraph (3) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$675''; and
        (4) by striking out ``$610'' and ``$120'' in paragraph (4) and 
    inserting in lieu thereof ``$675'' and ``$132'', respectively.
    (b) Supplemental DIC for Disabled Adult Children.-- Section 1314 is 
amended--
        (1) by striking out ``$195'' in subsection (a) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$215'';
        (2) by striking out ``$327'' in subsection (b) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$361''; and
        (3) by striking out ``$166'' in subsection (c) and inserting in 
    lieu thereof ``$182''.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on December 1, 
1997.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.