S. 2562

One Hundred Ninth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE SECOND SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,

the third day of January, two thousand and six

An Act

To increase, effective as of December 1, 2006, 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.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Compensation Costof-Living Adjustment Act of 2006’’.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND

DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.

(a) RATE ADJUSTMENT.—Effective on December 1, 2006, the

Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall increase, in accordance with

subsection (c), the dollar amounts in effect on November 30, 2006,

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 sections 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.—

(1) PERCENTAGE.—Except as provided in paragraph (2),

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, 2006, as a result of a determination under section 215(i)

of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)).

(2) ROUNDING.—Each dollar amount increased under paragraph (1), if not a whole dollar amount, shall be rounded

to the next lower whole dollar amount.
S. 2562—2

(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 2007.

SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.

Section 1311 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by

redesignating the second subsection (e) (as added by section 301(a)

of the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004 (Public Law

108–454; 118 Stat. 3610)) as subsection (f).

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.