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[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3458 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3458

      To increase, effective as of December 1, 1996, 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.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 17, 1996

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
      To increase, effective as of December 1, 1996, 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 Cost-of-
Living Adjustment Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND DEPENDENCY AND 
              INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.

    (a) Rate Adjustment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, 
effective on December 1, 1996, 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 section 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 Percentage Increase.--(1) The increase under 
subsection (a) shall be made in the dollar amounts specified in 
subsection (b) as in effect on November 30, 1996. 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, 1996, as a 
result of a determination under section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
415(i)).
    (2) In the computation of increased dollar amounts pursuant to 
paragraph (1), any amount which as so computed is not an even multiple 
of $1 shall be rounded to the next lower whole dollar amount.
    (d) Special Rule.--The Secretary 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. 3. 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 1996, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall publish in the Federal Register the amounts specified in section 
2(b), as increased pursuant to section 2.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 16, 1996.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.
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