II 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5588 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 12, 2016 

Received 

AN ACT 

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. 

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


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Compensa3 tion COLA Act of 2016’’. 

4 SEC. 2. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSA5 TION AND DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY 

6 COMPENSATION. 

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

8 2016, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall increase, in 

9 accordance with subsection (c), the dollar amounts in ef10 fect on November 30, 2016, for the payment of disability 

11 compensation and dependency and indemnity compensa12 tion under the provisions specified in subsection (b). 

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

14 amounts to be increased pursuant to subsection (a) are 

15 the following: 

16 (1) WARTIME DISABILITY COMPENSATION.— 

17 Each of the dollar amounts under section 1114 of 

18 title 38, United States Code. 

19 (2) ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR DEPEND20 ENTS.—Each of the dollar amounts under section 

21 1115(1) of such title. 

22 (3) CLOTHING ALLOWANCE.—The dollar 

23 amount under section 1162 of such title. 

24 (4) DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSA25 TION TO SURVIVING SPOUSE.—Each of the dollar 


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1 amounts under subsections (a) through (d) of sec2 tion 1311 of such title. 

3 (5) DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSA4 TION TO CHILDREN.—Each of the dollar amounts 

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

6 (c) DETERMINATION OF INCREASE.—Each dollar 

7 amount described in subsection (b) shall be increased by 

8 the same percentage as the percentage by which benefit 

9 amounts payable under title II of the Social Security Act 

10 (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) are increased effective December 

11 1, 2016, as a result of a determination under section 

12 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)). 

13 (d) SPECIAL RULE.—The Secretary of Veterans Af14 fairs may adjust administratively, consistent with the in15 creases made under subsection (a), the rates of disability 

16 compensation payable to persons under section 10 of Pub17 lic Law 85–857 (72 Stat. 1263) who have not received 

18 compensation under chapter 11 of title 38, United States 

19 Code. 

20 SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF ADJUSTED RATES. 

21 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall publish in the 

22 Federal Register the amounts specified in section 2(b), as 

23 increased under that section, not later than the date on 

24 which the matters specified in section 215(i)(2)(D) of the 

25 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(2)(D)) are required 


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1 to be published by reason of a determination made under 

2 section 215(i) of such Act during fiscal year 2017. 

Passed the House of Representatives July 11, 2016. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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