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Union Calendar No. 574 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4782 

[Report No. 114–738] 

To increase, effective as of December 1, 2016, 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, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2016 

Mr. ABRAHAM (for himself and Ms. TITUS) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 

Additional sponsors: Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. HECK of Nevada, and Mr. 

O’ROURKE

SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 17, 2016] 


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A BILL 

To increase, effective as of December 1, 2016, 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, 

and for other purposes. 


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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Compensation 

5 Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2016’’. 

6 SEC. 2. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION 

7 AND DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COM8 PENSATION. 

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

10 2016, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall increase, in 

11 accordance with subsection (c), the dollar amounts in effect 

12 on November 30, 2016, for the payment of disability com13 pensation and dependency and indemnity compensation 

14 under the provisions specified in subsection (b). 

15 (b) AMOUNTS TO BE INCREASED.—The dollar 

16 amounts to be increased pursuant to subsection (a) are the 

17 following: 

18 (1) WARTIME DISABILITY COMPENSATION.—Each 

19 of the dollar amounts under section 1114 of title 38, 

20 United States Code. 

21 (2) ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR DEPEND22 ENTS.—Each of the dollar amounts under section 

23 1115(1) of such title. 

24 (3) CLOTHING ALLOWANCE.—The dollar amount 

25 under section 1162 of such title. 


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1 (4) DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSA2 TION TO SURVIVING SPOUSE.—Each of the dollar 

3 amounts under subsections (a) through (d) of section 

4 1311 of such title. 

5 (5) DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSA6 TION TO CHILDREN.—Each of the dollar amounts 

7 under sections 1313(a) and 1314 of such title. 

8 (c) DETERMINATION OF INCREASE.— 

9 (1) PERCENTAGE.—Except as provided in para10 graph (2), each dollar amount described in subsection 

11 (b) shall be increased by the same percentage as the 

12 percentage by which benefit amounts payable under 

13 title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et 

14 seq.) are increased effective December 1, 2016, as a re15 sult of a determination under section 215(i) of such 

16 Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)). 

17 (2) ROUNDING.—Each dollar amount increased 

18 under paragraph (1), if not a whole dollar amount, 

19 shall be rounded to the next lower whole dollar 

20 amount. 

21 (d) SPECIAL RULE.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

22 may adjust administratively, consistent with the increases 

23 made under subsection (a), the rates of disability compensa24 tion payable to persons under section 10 of Public Law 85– 


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1 857 (72 Stat. 1263) who have not received compensation 

2 under chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code. 

3 (e) PUBLICATION OF ADJUSTED RATES.—The Sec4 retary of Veterans Affairs shall publish in the Federal Reg5 ister the amounts specified in subsection (b), as increased 

6 under this section, not later than the date on which the mat7 ters specified in section 215(i)(2)(D) of the Social Security 

8 Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(2)(D)) are required to be published 

9 by reason of a determination made under section 215(i) of 

10 such Act during fiscal year 2017. 

11 SEC. 3. TRANSPORTATION OF DECEASED VETERANS TO 

12 VETERANS’ CEMETERIES. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 2308 of 

14 title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 

15 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) The Secretary may pay, in 

16 addition to any amount paid pursuant to section 2302 or 

17 2307 of this title, the cost of transportation of the deceased 

18 veteran described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b) 

19 for burial in a national cemetery or a covered veterans’ 

20 cemetery. Such payment shall not exceed the cost of trans21 portation to the national cemetery nearest the veteran’s last 

22 place of residence in which burial space is available. 

23 ‘‘(2) The Secretary may pay, in addition to any 

24 amount paid pursuant to section 2302 or 2307 of this title, 

25 the cost of transportation of the deceased veteran described 


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1 in subsection (b)(3) for burial in a national cemetery. Such 

2 payment shall not exceed the cost of transportation to the 

3 national cemetery nearest the veteran’s last place of resi4 dence in which burial space is available.’’. 

5 (b) COVERED VETERANS’ CEMETERY DEFINED.—Sec6 tion 2308 of such title is amended by adding at the end 

7 the following new subsection: 

8 ‘‘(c) COVERED VETERANS’ CEMETERY DEFINED.—In 

9 this section, the term ‘covered veterans’ cemetery’ means, 

10 with respect to a deceased veteran described in subsection 

11 (b), a veterans’ cemetery owned by a State or a tribal orga12 nization (as defined in section 3765(4) of this title) in 

13 which the deceased veteran is eligible to be buried.’’. 

14 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 2308 of such 

15 title is amended in the section heading by adding at the 

16 end the following: ‘‘or a veterans’ cemetery’’. 

17 (d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 

18 the beginning of such chapter is amended by striking the 

19 item relating to section 2308 and inserting the following 

20 new item: 

‘‘2308. Transportation of deceased veterans to a national cemetery or a veterans’ 

cemetery.’’. 


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1 SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEADSTONES, 

2 MARKERS, AND MEDALLIONS FOR MEDAL OF 

3 HONOR RECIPIENTS. 

4 Section 2306(d) of title 38, United States Code, is 

5 amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

6 ‘‘(5)(A) In carrying out this subsection with respect 

7 to a deceased individual described in subparagraph (C), the 

8 Secretary shall furnish, upon request, a headstone or mark9 er under paragraph (1) or a medallion under paragraph 

10 (4) that signifies the deceased’s status as a Medal of Honor 

11 recipient. 

12 ‘‘(B) If the Secretary furnished a headstone, marker, 

13 or medallion under paragraph (1) or (4) for a deceased in14 dividual described in subparagraph (C) that does not sig15 nify the deceased’s status as a Medal of Honor recipient, 

16 the Secretary shall, upon request, replace such headstone, 

17 marker, or medallion with a headstone, marker, or medal18 lion, as the case may be, that so signifies the deceased’s sta19 tus as a Medal of Honor recipient. 

20 ‘‘(C) A deceased individual described in this subpara21 graph is a deceased individual who— 

22 ‘‘(i) served in the Armed Forces on or after April 

23 6, 1917; 

24 ‘‘(ii) is eligible for a headstone or marker fur25 nished under paragraph (1) or a medallion furnished 

26 under paragraph (4) (or would be so eligible for such 


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1 headstone, marker, or medallion but for the date of 

2 the death of the individual); and 

3 ‘‘(iii) was awarded the Medal of Honor (includ4 ing posthumously).’’. 

5 SEC. 5. EXPANSION OF PRESIDENTIAL MEMORIAL CERTIFI6 CATE PROGRAM. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 112(a) of title 38, United 

8 States Code, is amended by inserting after ‘‘conditions,’’ the 

9 following: ‘‘persons eligible for burial in a national ceme10 tery by reason of paragraph (2), (3), or (7) of section 

11 2402(a) of this title,’’. 

12 (b) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by sub13 section (a) shall apply with respect to the death of a person 

14 eligible for burial in a national cemetery by reason of para15 graph (2), (3), or (7) of section 2402(a) of title 38, United 

16 States Code, occurring before, on, or after the date of the 

17 enactment of this Act. 

18 SEC. 6. BURIAL PLOTS AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEME19 TERY FOR INDIVIDUALS AWARDED THE 

20 MEDAL OF HONOR. 

21 (a) RESERVATION.—Of the number of in-ground burial 

22 plots available at Arlington National Cemetery as of the 

23 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army 

24 shall reserve 100 such plots to inter deceased individuals 

25 who have been awarded the Medal of Honor. 


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1 (b) TERMINATION.—The requirement under subsection 

2 (a) shall terminate on the date on which the Secretary of 

3 the Army to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and the 

4 Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representa5 tives and the Senate a report on the interment and 

6 inurnment capacity of Arlington National Cemetery that 

7 includes— 

8 (1) the estimated date that the Secretary deter9 mines the cemetery will reach maximum interment 

10 and inurnment capacity; and 

11 (2) in light of the unique and iconic meaning of 

12 the cemetery to the United States, recommendations 

13 for legislative actions and nonlegislative options that 

14 the Secretary determines necessary to ensure that the 

15 maximum interment and inurnment capacity of the 

16 cemetery is not reached until well into the future, in17 cluding such actions and options with respect to— 

18 (A) redefining eligibility criteria for inter19 ment and inurnment in the cemetery; and 

20 (B) considerations for additional expansion 

21 opportunities beyond the current boundaries of 

22 the cemetery. 


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1 SEC. 7. PILOT PROGRAM ON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

2 AFFAIRS VETERAN ENGAGEMENT TEAM 

3 EVENTS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.— 

5 (1) PILOT PROGRAM.—Beginning not later than 

6 October 1, 2016, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

7 shall carry out a three-year pilot program under 

8 which the Secretary shall carry out events, to be 

9 known as ‘‘Veteran Engagement Team events’’. The 

10 Secretary shall ensure that such events are carried 

11 out— 

12 (A) during the first year during which the 

13 Secretary carries out the pilot program, at least 

14 once a month in a location within the jurisdic15 tion of each of 10 regional offices of the Depart16 ment of Veterans Affairs, including at least two 

17 regional offices in each of the five districts of the 

18 Veterans Benefits Administration under the or19 ganization of such Administration in effect as of 

20 the date of the enactment of this Act; and 

21 (B) during each of the second and third 

22 years during which the Secretary carries out the 

23 pilot program, at least once a month in a loca24 tion within the jurisdiction of each of 15 re25 gional offices of the Department, including at 

26 least three regional offices in each such district. 


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1 (2) VETERAN ENGAGEMENT TEAM EVENTS.— 

2 During each Veteran Engagement Team event, the 

3 Secretary shall provide assistance to veterans in com4 pleting and adjudicating claims for disability com5 pensation under chapter 11 of title 38, United States 

6 Code, and for pension under chapter 15 of such title. 

7 The Secretary shall ensure that— 

8 (A) all Veteran Engagement Team events 

9 occur during the normal business hours of the 

10 sponsoring regional office; 

11 (B) the events are carried out at different 

12 locations within the jurisdiction of each regional 

13 office and at least 50 miles from any regional of14 fice; 

15 (C) a sufficient number of physicians (to be 

16 available for opinions only), veteran service rep17 resentatives and rating veteran service represent18 atives, and other personnel are available at the 

19 events to initiate, update, and finalize the com20 pletion and adjudication of claims; 

21 (D) veterans service organizations have ac22 cess to the events for purposes of providing as23 sistance to veterans; and 

24 (E) a veteran who is unable to complete 

25 and adjudicate a claim at an event is informed 


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1 of what additional information or actions are 

2 needed to finalize the claim. 

3 (b) LOCATION.—In selecting locations for Veteran En4 gagement Team events under this section, the Secretary 

5 shall— 

6 (1) coordinate with veteran service organizations 

7 and State and local veterans agencies; and 

8 (2) seek to select locations that are community9 based and easily accessible. 

10 (c) TRANSFER OF PERSONNEL.— 

11 (1) PHYSICIANS.—The Secretary may not per12 manently transfer any physician employed by the 

13 Veterans Health Administration for the purpose of 

14 staffing a Veteran Engagement Team event. 

15 (2) PAYMENT OF SALARIES.—Any amount pay16 able to an employee of the Department for work per17 formed at a Veteran Engagement Team event is pay18 able only from amounts otherwise available for the 

19 payment of the salary of the employee. No additional 

20 amounts are authorized to be appropriated under this 

21 section for the payment of salaries for Department 

22 employee. 

23 (d) OTHER AUTHORITIES.—In carrying out the pilot 

24 program under this section, the Secretary may— 


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1 (1) coordinate with States, local governments, 

2 nonprofit organizations, and private sector entities to 

3 use facilities to host Veteran Engagement Team events 

4 for no or minimal costs; and 

5 (2) accept, on a without compensation basis, 

6 services provided by non-Department physicians in 

7 rendering medical opinions relating to claims for 

8 compensation and pension. 

9 (e) CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEYS.—In carrying 

10 out the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall 

11 collect and analyze information about the customer satisfac12 tion of veterans who have received assistance at an Veteran 

13 Engagement Team event. 

14 (f) REPORTS.—Not later than April 30, 2017, and an15 nually thereafter beginning on October 1, 2017, for the du16 ration of the program, the Secretary shall submit to Con17 gress a report on the implementation and effectiveness of 

18 the events. Such report shall include— 

19 (1) the number and types of claims completed 

20 and adjudicated at the events; 

21 (2) the number and types of claims for which as22 sistance was sought at the events that were not com23 pleted or adjudicated at the events and the reasons 

24 such claims were not completed or adjudicated; and 


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1 (3) an analysis of the customer satisfaction of 

2 veterans who have received assistance at an event 

3 based on the information collected under subsection 

4 (e). 


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Union Calendar No. 574 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4782 

[Report No. 114–738] 

A BILL 

To increase, effective as of December 1, 2016, the 

purposes. vivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other ency and indemnity compensation for the surconnected disabilities and the rates of dependrates of compensation for veterans with serviceSEPTEMBER 12, 2016 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS