[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 56 (Friday, March 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13868-13869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5331]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Service-Connected 
Benefits

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: As required by the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living 
Adjustment Act of 2006, Public Law 109-361, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA) is hereby giving notice of adjustments in certain benefit 
rates. These adjustments affect the compensation and dependency and 
indemnity compensation (DIC) programs.

DATES: These adjustments are effective December 1, 2006, the date 
provided by Public Law 109-361.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lyric Collier, Program Analyst, 
Compensation and Pension Service (212A), Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-7212.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2 of Public Law 109-361 provides for 
an increase in each of the rates in sections 1114, 1115(1), 1162, 1311, 
1313, and 1314 of title 38, United States Code. VA is required to 
increase these benefit rates by the same percentage as increases in the 
benefit amounts payable under title II of the Social Security Act. In 
computing increased rates in the cited title 38 sections, fractions of 
a dollar are rounded down to the nearest dollar. The increased rates 
are required to be published in the Federal Register.
    The Social Security Administration has announced that there will be 
a 3.3 percent cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits. 
Therefore, applying the same percentage, the following rates for VA 
compensation and DIC programs will be effective December 1, 2006:

                Disability Compensation (38 U.S.C. 1114)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Monthly
               Disability evaluation  Percent                    rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.........................................................         $115
20.........................................................          225
30.........................................................          348
40.........................................................          501
50.........................................................          712
60.........................................................          901
70.........................................................        1,135
80.........................................................        1,319
90.........................................................        1,483
100........................................................        2,471
(38 U.S.C. 1114(k) through (s)):
  38 U.S.C. 1114(k)........................................   89; 3,075;
                                                               89; 4,313
  38 U.S.C. 1114(l)........................................        3,075
  38 U.S.C. 1114(m)........................................        3,392
  38 U.S.C. 1114(n)........................................        3,860
  38 U.S.C. 1114(o)........................................        4,313
  38 U.S.C. 1114(p)........................................        4,313
  38 U.S.C. 1114(r)........................................       1,851;
                                                                   2,757
  38 U.S.C. 1114(s)........................................        2,766
------------------------------------------------------------------------
       ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR DEPENDENTS (38 U.S.C. 1115(1))
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. 1115(1):
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(A).....................................         $139
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(B).....................................      240; 70
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(C).....................................       94; 70
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(D).....................................          112
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(E).....................................          265
  38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(F).....................................          222
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   CLOTHING ALLOWANCE (38 U.S.C. 1162)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              $662 per year
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               DIC TO A SURVIVING SPOUSE (38 U.S.C. 1311)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pay Grade:
  E-1......................................................       $1,067
  E-2......................................................        1,067
  E-3......................................................        1,067
  E-4......................................................        1,067
  E-5......................................................        1,067
  E-6......................................................        1,067
  E-7......................................................        1,104
  E-8......................................................        1,165
  E-9(1)...................................................        1,215
  W-1......................................................        1,128
  W-2......................................................        1,172
  W-3......................................................        1,207
  W-4......................................................        1,276
  O-1......................................................        1,128
  O-2......................................................        1,165
  O-3......................................................        1,246
  O-4......................................................        1,319
  O-5......................................................        1,452
  O-6......................................................        1,637
  O-7......................................................        1,768
  O-8......................................................        1,941
  O-9......................................................        2,076
  O-10(2)..................................................        2,276
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (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, the

[[Page 13869]]

surviving spouse's monthly rate is $1,312.
    (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, the surviving spouse's monthly rate is 
$2,443.

        DIC to a Surviving Spouse (38 U.S.C. 1311(a) Through (d))
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Monthly
                                                                 rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. 1311(a) through (d):
  38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(1).....................................        1,067
  38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(2).....................................          228
  38 U.S.C. 1311(b)........................................          265
  38 U.S.C. 1311(c)........................................          265
  38 U.S.C. 1311(d)........................................          126
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    DIC to Children (38 U.S.C. 1313)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. 1313:
  38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(1).....................................         $452
  38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(2).....................................          649
  38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(3).....................................          846
  38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(4).....................................     846; 162
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              SUPPLEMENTAL DIC TO CHILDREN (38 U.S.C. 1314)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 U.S.C. 1314:
  38 U.S.C. 1314(a)........................................         $265
  38 U.S.C. 1314(b)........................................          452
  38 U.S.C. 1314(c)........................................          225
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Approved: March 16, 2007.
Gordon H. Mansfield,
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. E7-5331 Filed 3-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P