IB 

Union Calendar No. 98

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1220

[Report No. 109–162] 

To increase, effective as of December 1, 2005, the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates 

of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 10, 2005

Mr. BUYER (for himself, Mr. EVANS, Mr. MILLER of Florida, and Ms. BERKLEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs 

JUNE 30, 2005

Additional sponsors: Mr. BAKER, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire, Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of 

Florida, Mr. FILNER, Ms. HOOLEY, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. 

RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, 

Mr. FOLEY, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, 

Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. REYES, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. SALAZAR, 

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. SNYDER, and Mr. KOLBE

JUNE 30, 2005

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 10, 2005] 

A BILL

To increase, effective as of December 1, 2005, the rates 
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of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain serviceconnected 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,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

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

5 Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2005’’. 

6 SEC. 2. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION 

7 AND DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COM8 PENSATION. 

9 (a) RATE ADJUSTMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 

10 Affairs shall, effective on December 1, 2005, increase the dol11 lar amounts in effect for the payment of disability com12 pensation and dependency and indemnity compensation by 

13 the Secretary, as specified in subsection (b). 

14 (b) AMOUNTS TO BE INCREASED.—The dollar amounts 

15 to be increased pursuant to subsection (a) are the following: 

16 (1) COMPENSATION.—Each of the dollar amounts 

17 in effect under section 1114 of title 38, United States 

18 Code. 

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

21 section 1115(1) of such title. 
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1 (3) CLOTHING ALLOWANCE.—The dollar amount 

2 in effect under section 1162 of such title. 

3 (4) NEW DIC RATES.—The dollar amounts in ef4 fect under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1311(a) 

5 of such title. 

6 (5) OLD DIC RATES.—Each of the dollar 

7 amounts in effect under section 1311(a)(3) of such 

8 title. 

9 (6) ADDITIONAL DIC FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES

10 WITH MINOR CHILDREN.—The dollar amounts in ef11 fect under section 1311(b) of such title and paragraph 

12 (1) of section 1311(f) of such title (as redesignated by 

13 subsection (e) of this section). 

14 (7) ADDITIONAL DIC FOR DISABILITY.—The dol15 lar amounts in effect under sections 1311(c) and 

16 1311(d) of such title. 

17 (8) DIC FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN.—The dol18 lar amounts in effect under sections 1313(a) and 

19 1314 of such title. 

20 (c) DETERMINATION OF INCREASE.—

21 (1) BASE FOR INCREASE.—The increase under 

22 subsection (a) shall be made in the dollar amounts 

23 specified in subsection (b) as in effect on November 

24 30, 2005. 
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1 (2) PERCENTAGE OF INCREASE.—Except as pro2 vided in paragraph (3), each such amount shall be in3 creased by the same percentage as the percentage by 

4 which benefit amounts payable under title II of the 

5 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) are in6 creased effective December 1, 2005, as a result of a de7 termination under section 215(i) of such Act (42 

8 U.S.C. 415(i)). 

9 (3) ROUNDING.—Each dollar amount increased 

10 pursuant to paragraph (2) shall, if not a whole dollar 

11 amount, be rounded down to the next lower whole dol12 lar amount. 

13 (d) SPECIAL RULE.—The Secretary may adjust ad14 ministratively, consistent with the increases made under 

15 subsection (a), the rates of disability compensation payable 

16 to persons within the purview of section 10 of Public Law 

17 85–857 (72 Stat. 1263) who are not in receipt of compensa18 tion payable pursuant to chapter 11 of title 38, United 

19 States Code. 

20 (e) DESIGNATION CORRECTION.—Section 1311 of title 

21 38, United States Code, is amended by redesignating the 

22 second subsection (e) (added by section 301(a) of the Vet23 erans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–

24 454; 118 Stat. 3610)) as subsection (f). 
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1 SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF ADJUSTED RATES. 

2 At the same time as the matters specified in section 

3 215(i)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

4 415(i)(2)(D)) are required to be published by reason of a 

5 determination made under section 215(i) of such Act during 

6 fiscal year 2006, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall pub7 lish in the Federal Register the amounts specified in sub8 section (b) of section 2, as increased pursuant to that sec9 tion. 

10 SEC. 4. CODIFICATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2005 COST-OF-LIV11 ING ADJUSTMENT PROVIDED IN PUBLIC LAW 

12 108–363. 

13 (a) VETERANS’ DISABILITY COMPENSATION.—Section 

14 1114 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

15 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘$106’’ and in16 serting ‘‘$108’’; 

17 (2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘$205’’ and in18 serting ‘‘$210’’; 

19 (3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘$316’’ and in20 serting ‘‘$324’’; 

21 (4) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘$454’’ and in22 serting ‘‘$466’’; 

23 (5) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘$646’’ and in24 serting ‘‘$663’’; 

25 (6) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘$817’’ and in26 serting ‘‘$839’’; 
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1 (7) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘$1,029’’ and 

2 inserting ‘‘$1,056’’; 

3 (8) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘$1,195’’ and 

4 inserting ‘‘$1,227’’; 

5 (9) in subsection (i), by striking ‘‘$1,344’’ and 

6 inserting ‘‘$1,380’’; 

7 (10) in subsection (j), by striking ‘‘$2,239’’ and 

8 inserting ‘‘$2,299’’; 

9 (11) in subsection (k)—

10 (A) by striking ‘‘$82’’ both places it appears 

11 and inserting ‘‘$84’’; and 

12 (B) by striking ‘‘$2,785’’ and ‘‘$3,907’’ and 

13 inserting ‘‘$2,860’’ and ‘‘$4,012’’, respectively; 

14 (12) in subsection (l), by striking ‘‘$2,785’’ and 

15 inserting ‘‘$2,860’’; 

16 (13) in subsection (m), by striking ‘‘$3,073’’ and 

17 inserting ‘‘$3,155’’; 

18 (14) in subsection (n), by striking ‘‘$3,496’’ and 

19 inserting ‘‘$3,590’’; 

20 (15) in subsections (o) and (p), by striking 

21 ‘‘$3,907’’ each place it appears and inserting 

22 ‘‘$4,012’’; 

23 (16) in subsection (r), by striking ‘‘$1,677’’ and 

24 ‘‘$2,497’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,722’’ and ‘‘$2,564’’, re25 spectively; and 
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1 (17) in subsection (s), by striking ‘‘$2,506’’ and 

2 inserting ‘‘$2,573’’. 

3 (b) ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR DEPENDENTS.—

4 Section 1115(1) of such title is amended—

5 (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘$127’’ and 

6 inserting ‘‘$130’’; 

7 (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘$219’’ and 

8 ‘‘$65’’ and inserting ‘‘$224’’ and ‘‘$66’’, respectively; 

9 (3) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘$86’’ and 

10 ‘‘$65’’ and inserting ‘‘$88’’ and ‘‘$66’’, respectively; 

11 (4) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘$103’’ 

12 and inserting ‘‘$105’’; 

13 (5) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘$241’’and 

14 inserting ‘‘$247’’; and 

15 (6) in subparagraph (F), by striking ‘‘$202’’ and 

16 inserting ‘‘$207’’. 

17 (c) CLOTHING ALLOWANCE FOR CERTAIN DISABLED

18 VETERANS.—Section 1162 of such title is amended by strik19 ing ‘‘$600’’ and inserting ‘‘$616’’. 

20 (d) DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR

21 SURVIVING SPOUSES.—

22 (1) NEW LAW DIC.—Section 1311(a) of such title 

23 is amended—

24 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘$967’’ 

25 and inserting ‘‘$993’’; and 
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1 (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘$208’’ 

2 and inserting ‘‘$213’’. 

3 (2) OLD LAW DIC.—The table in paragraph (3) 

4 of such section is amended to read as follows:

‘‘Pay grade Monthly rate Pay grade Monthly rate 

E–1 ............................... $993 W–4 ............................. $1,188

E–2 ............................... $993 O–1 .............................. $1,049

E–3 ............................... $993 O–2 .............................. $1,084

E–4 ............................... $993 O–3 .............................. $1,160

E–5 ............................... $993 O–4 .............................. $1,227

E–6 ............................... $993 O–5 .............................. $1,351

E–7 ............................... $1,027 O–6 .............................. $1,523

E–8 ............................... $1,084 O–7 .............................. $1,645

E–9 ............................... $1,1311 O–8 .............................. $1,805

W–1 ............................... $1,049 O–9 .............................. $1,931

W–2 ............................... $1,091 O–10 ............................ $2,1182

W–3 ............................... $1,123 ...................................... ........................

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, at the applicable time designated by section 1302 of this title, the surviving spouse’s 

rate shall be $1,221. 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, at the applicable time designated by section 1302 of this 

title, the surviving spouse’s rate shall be $2,272.’’. 

5 (3) ADDITIONAL DIC FOR CHILDREN OR DIS6 ABILITY.—Section 1311 of such title is amended—

7 (A) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘$241’’ 

8 and inserting ‘‘$247’’; 

9 (B) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘$241’’ 

10 and inserting ‘‘$247’’; and 

11 (C) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘$115’’ 

12 and inserting ‘‘$118’’. 

13 (e) DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR

14 CHILDREN.—

15 (1) DIC WHEN NO SURVIVING SPOUSE.—Section 

16 1313(a) of such title is amended—
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1 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘$410’’ 

2 and inserting ‘‘$421’’; 

3 (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘$590’’ 

4 and inserting ‘‘$605’’; 

5 (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘$767’’ 

6 and inserting ‘‘$787’’; and 

7 (D) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘$767’’ 

8 and ‘‘$148’’ and inserting ‘‘$787’’ and ‘‘$151’’, 

9 respectively. 

10 (2) SUPPLEMENTAL DIC FOR CERTAIN CHIL11 DREN.—Section 1314 of such title is amended—

12 (A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘$241’’ 

13 and inserting ‘‘$247’’; 

14 (B) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘$410’’ 

15 and inserting ‘‘$421’’; and 

16 (C) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘$205’’ 

17 and inserting ‘‘$210’’. 

18 SEC. 5. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO IMPROVE BUSINESS 

19 PRACTICES OF VETERANS HEALTH ADMINIS20 TRATION. 

21 (a) DEMONSTRATION PROJECT REQUIRED.—

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af23 fairs shall conduct a demonstration project under this 

24 section for the improvement of business practices of 

25 the Veterans Health Administration. 
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1 (2) PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACT.— To carry 

2 out the demonstration project, the Secretary shall 

3 enter into a performance-based contract for a con4 tractor to carry out the functions specified in sub5 section (e). 

6 (3) COST LIMITATION.—The total amount paid 

7 to the contractor under the contract may not exceed 

8 $10,000,000. 

9 (b) COMMENCEMENT AND DURATION OF PROJECT.—

10 The demonstration project shall be conducted during the 

11 two-year period beginning on the first day of the first 

12 month beginning more than 120 days after the date of the 

13 enactment of this Act. 

14 (c) SITES FOR CONDUCT OF PROJECT.—The Secretary 

15 shall conduct the demonstration project at two facilities, at 

16 least one of which shall be a medical center, of the Veterans 

17 Health Administration within the same service area (re18 ferred to as a Veterans Integrated Service Network) of the 

19 Veterans Health Administration. The two facilities at 

20 which the project is conducted shall be selected by the Sec21 retary from among facilities that the Secretary determines 

22 have relatively low performance for recovery or collection 

23 of indebtedness from third-party payors under section 1729 

24 of title 38, United States Code. 
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1 (d) SELECTION OF CONTRACTOR.—The Secretary shall 

2 carry out the process for selection of the contractor for the 

3 demonstration project so that the contractor to perform the 

4 contract is selected, and the contract is awarded, not later 

5 than three months after the date of the enactment of this 

6 Act. The contractor shall be an entity or organization that 

7 has significant experience in the administrative processing 

8 of health care charges and claims. 

9 (e) FUNCTIONS OF CONTRACTOR.—The Secretary shall 

10 provide in the contract for the following functions of the 

11 contractor with respect to each facility at which the dem12 onstration project is conducted: 

13 (1) Detailed specification of existing business 

14 processes that the contractor determines are relevant 

15 to the capability of the facility to recover or collect in16 debtedness from third-party payors under section 

17 1729 of title 38, United States Code. 

18 (2) Reengineering of the business processes iden19 tified under paragraph (1), including provision for 

20 standardized application of such reengineered proc21 esses throughout the facility. 

22 (3) Establish and implement a plan to transi23 tion from the business processes identified under 

24 paragraph (1) to the reengineered and standardized 

25 businesses established pursuant to paragraph (2). 
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1 (4) Establishment of a comprehensive database 

2 containing third-party payor information for vet3 erans receiving health care and services at the facil4 ity. 

5 (f) VHA PROJECT MANAGER.—As part of the dem6 onstration project, the Secretary shall ensure that a Vet7 erans Health Administration employee is designated to be 

8 the full-time project manager for the project and that such 

9 employee’s duty station is at one of the facilities at which 

10 the project is conducted, with provision for visits as needed 

11 to the other facility at which the project is conducted. 

12 (g) EMPLOYEE PROTECTION.—The Secretary shall ad13 minister the demonstration project so that during the period 

14 of the conduct of the demonstration project there is no re15 duction in active full-time equivalent employees of the De16 partment of Veterans Affairs at the facilities at which the 

17 project is conducted that is attributable to the conduct of 

18 the demonstration project. 

19 (h) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—

20 (1) PERIODIC PROGRESS REPORTS ON PROJECT

21 IMPLEMENTATION.—

22 (A) REPORTS REQUIRED.—The Secretary 

23 shall submit to Congress progress reports on the 

24 implementation of the demonstration project. 
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1 (B) TIME FOR PROGRESS REPORTS.— Such 

2 reports shall be submitted as expeditiously as 

3 feasible after the end of—

4 (i) the 60-day period and the 90-day 

5 period beginning on the date of the enact6 ment of this Act; and 

7 (ii) the 60-day period, the 90-day pe8 riod, and the 180-day period beginning on 

9 the date of the award of the contract under 

10 subsection (d). 

11 (C) MATTER TO BE INCLUDED.—Each re12 port under this paragraph shall set out the 

13 progress to date of the demonstration project, in14 cluding—

15 (i) before the contractor has been se16 lected, progress toward selection of the con17 tractor (identified by the steps in the acqui18 sition process that have been accomplished 

19 and that remain to be accomplished); and 

20 (ii) after the contractor has been se21 lected—

22 (I) the contractor’s progress in 

23 initiating and carrying out the dem24 onstration project in accordance with 

25 the requirements of this section; and 
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1 (II) a copy of each contract under 

2 the demonstration project and any 

3 change order or modification to any 

4 such contract. 

5 (2) INTERIM REPORTS ON PROJECT OPER6 ATION.—After the completion of the first 12 months, 

7 and after the completion of the first 18 months, of the 

8 demonstration project, the Secretary shall submit to 

9 Congress an interim report on the operation of the 

10 demonstration project to that date. Each such report 

11 shall include the following: 

12 (A) The assessment of the Secretary as to 

13 whether the rate of recovery or collection of in14 debtedness owed the United States from third15 party payors has improved by reason of the 

16 project. 

17 (B) The assessment of the Secretary as to 

18 the performance of the contractor. 

19 (3) FINAL REPORT.—

20 (A) REQUIREMENT.—After the conclusion of 

21 the demonstration project, the Secretary shall 

22 submit to Congress a final report on the project. 

23 (B) CONTENT.—The Secretary shall include 

24 in that report—
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1 (i) the matters specified in paragraph 

2 (2); 

3 (ii) the Secretary’s estimate of cost sav4 ings to the Department attributable to the 

5 reengineered business processes implemented 

6 under the demonstration project, with sup7 porting evidence and documentation for 

8 such estimate; and 

9 (iii) the Secretary’s recommendation 

10 for implementing on a permanent basis the 

11 recovery or collection system demonstrated 

12 in the project and expanding the project to 

13 other facilities of the Veterans Health Ad14 ministration. 

15 (C) SUBMISSION.—The final report shall be 

16 submitted not later than 90 days after the con17 clusion of the demonstration project. 

18 (i) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW AND RE19 PORTS.—

20 (1) REVIEW.—The Comptroller General shall re21 view the demonstration project on an ongoing basis. 

22 (2) REPORTS.—The Comptroller General shall 

23 submit to Congress a report on the Comptroller Gen24 eral’s findings and recommendations concerning the 

25 demonstration project—
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1 (A) after the operation of the demonstration 

2 project for a period of one year; and 

3 (B) after the operation of the demonstration 

4 project for a period of two years. 

5 (j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

6 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans 

7 Affairs for the conduct of the demonstration project under 

8 this section the sum of $10,000,000. 

9 SEC. 6. PARKINSON’S DISEASE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, 

10 AND CLINICAL CENTERS. 

11 (a) REQUIREMENT FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF CEN12 TERS.—

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 73 of 

14 title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 

15 at the end the following new section: 

16 ‘‘§ 7329. Parkinson’s Disease research, education, and 

17 clinical centers 

18 ‘‘(a) The Secretary, upon the recommendation of the 

19 Under Secretary for Health and pursuant to the provisions 

20 of this section, shall designate six Department health-care 

21 facilities as the locations for centers of Parkinson’s Disease 

22 research, education, and clinical activities and (subject to 

23 the appropriation of sufficient funds for such purpose) shall 

24 establish and operate such centers at such locations in ac25 cordance with this section. 
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1 ‘‘(b) In designating locations for centers under sub2 section (a), the Secretary, upon the recommendation of the 

3 Under Secretary for Health, shall—

4 ‘‘(1) designate each Department health-care facil5 ity that as of January 1, 2005, was operating a Par6 kinson’s Disease research, education, and clinical cen7 ter unless (on the recommendation of the Under Sec8 retary for Health) the Secretary determines that such 

9 facility does not meet the requirements of subsection 

10 (c) or has not demonstrated effectiveness in carrying 

11 out the established purposes of such center or the po12 tential to carry out such purposes effectively in the 

13 reasonably foreseeable future; and 

14 ‘‘(2) assure appropriate geographic distribution 

15 of such facilities. 

16 ‘‘(c) The Secretary may not designate a health-care fa17 cility as a location for a center under subsection (a) unless 

18 the peer review panel established under subsection (d) has 

19 determined under that subsection that the proposal sub20 mitted by such facility as a location for a new center under 

21 subsection (a) is among those proposals which have met the 

22 highest competitive standards of scientific and clinical 

23 merit, and the Secretary (upon the recommendation of the 

24 Under Secretary for Health) determines that the facility has 
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1 (or may reasonably be anticipated to develop) each of the 

2 following: 

3 ‘‘(1) An arrangement with an accredited medical 

4 school which provides education and training in neu5 rology and with which such facility is affiliated 

6 under which residents receive education and training 

7 in innovative diagnosis and treatment of chronic 

8 neurodegenerative diseases and movement disorders, 

9 including Parkinson’s disease. 

10 ‘‘(2) The ability to attract the participation of 

11 scientists who are capable of ingenuity and creativity 

12 in health-care research efforts. 

13 ‘‘(3) A policymaking advisory committee com14 posed of appropriate health-care and research rep15 resentatives of the facility and of the affiliated school 

16 or schools to advise the directors of such facility and 

17 such center on policy matters pertaining to the activi18 ties of such center during the period of the operation 

19 of such center. 

20 ‘‘(4) The capability to conduct effectively evalua21 tions of the activities of such center. 

22 ‘‘(5) The capability to coordinate, as part of an 

23 integrated national system, education, clinical, and 

24 research activities within all facilities with such cen25 ters. 
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1 ‘‘(6) The capability to jointly develop a consor2 tium of providers with interest in treating 

3 neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s 

4 Disease, and other movement disorders, at facilities 

5 without such centers in order to ensure better access 

6 to state-of-the-art diagnosis, care, and education for 

7 neurodegenerative disorders throughout the health care 

8 system. 

9 ‘‘(7) The capability to develop a national reposi10 tory for the collection of data on health services deliv11 ered to veterans seeking care for neurodegenerative 

12 diseases, including Parkinson’s Disease, and other 

13 movement disorders in the health care system. 

14 ‘‘(d)(1) The Under Secretary for Health shall establish 

15 a panel to assess the scientific and clinical merit of pro16 posals that are submitted to the Secretary for the establish17 ment of new centers under this section. 

18 ‘‘(2)(A) The membership of the panel shall consist of 

19 experts in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkin20 son’s Disease, and other movement disorders. 

21 ‘‘(B) Members of the panel shall serve as consultants 

22 to the Department for a period of no longer than two years 

23 except in the case of panelists asked to serve on the initial 

24 panel as specified in subparagraph (C). 
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1 ‘‘(C) In order to ensure panel continuity, half of the 

2 members of the first panel shall be appointed for a period 

3 of three years and half for a period of two years. 

4 ‘‘(3) The panel shall review each proposal submitted 

5 to the panel by the Under Secretary and shall submit its 

6 views on the relative scientific and clinical merit of each 

7 such proposal to the Under Secretary. 

8 ‘‘(4) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal Advi9 sory Committee Act. 

10 ‘‘(e) Before providing funds for the operation of any 

11 such center at a health-care facility other than a health12 care facility designated under subsection (b)(1), the Sec13 retary shall assure that the center at each facility des14 ignated under such subsection is receiving adequate funding 

15 to enable such center to function effectively in the areas of 

16 Parkinson’s Disease research, education, and clinical ac17 tivities. 

18 ‘‘(f) There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

19 as may be necessary for the support of the research and 

20 education activities of the centers established pursuant to 

21 subsection (a). The Under Secretary for Health shall allo22 cate to such centers from other funds appropriated generally 

23 for the Department medical services account and medical 

24 and prosthetics research account, as appropriate, such 
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1 amounts as the Under Secretary for Health determines ap2 propriate. 

3 ‘‘(g) Activities of clinical and scientific investigation 

4 at each center established under subsection (a) shall be eligi5 ble to compete for the award of funding from funds appro6 priated for the Department medical and prosthetics re7 search account and shall receive priority in the award of 

8 funding from such account insofar as funds are awarded 

9 to projects for research in Parkinson’s disease and other 

10 movement disorders.’’. 

11 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec12 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 

13 inserting after the item relating to section 7328 the 

14 following new item:

‘‘7329. Parkinson’s Disease research, education, and clinical centers.’’.

15 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 7329 of title 38, 

16 United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take 

17 effect on October 1, 2005. 
Union Calendar No. 98

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1220

[Report No. 109–162] 

A BILL

To increase, effective as of December 1, 2005, the 

erans, and for other purposes. vivors of certain service-connected disabled vetpendency and indemnity compensation for surservice-connected disabilities and the rates of derates of disability compensation for veterans with 

JUNE 30, 2005

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