28598 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 100 / Wednesday, May 23, 2001 / Notices

Dated: May 16, 2001.

Anthony J. Principi,

Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

[FR Doc. 01–12974 Filed 5–22–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

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 2000, Public Law

106–413, 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, 2000, the date provided by

Public Law 106–413.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

Trowbridge, Consultant, Compensation

and Pension Service (212A), Veterans

Benefit Administration, Department of

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue,

NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273–

7218.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2

of Public Law 106–413 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 3.5

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, 2000:

DISABILITY COMPENSATION (38 U.S.C.

1114)

Disability Evaluation (percent) Monthly

rate

10 .................................................. $101

20 .................................................. 194

30 .................................................. 298

40 .................................................. 427

50 .................................................. 609

DISABILITY COMPENSATION (38 U.S.C.

1114)—Continued

Disability Evaluation (percent) Monthly

rate

60 .................................................. 769

70 .................................................. 969

80 .................................................. 1,125

90 .................................................. 1,266

100 ................................................ 2,107

38 U.S.C. 1114(k)

through (s) Monthly rate

38 U.S.C. 1114(k) ...... $78; $2,621; $78;

$3,677

38 U.S.C. 1114(l) ....... $2,621

38 U.S.C. 1114(m) ..... $2,891

38 U.S.C. 1114(n) ...... $3,290

38 U.S.C. 1114(o) ...... $3,677

38 U.S.C. 1114(p) ...... $3,677

38 U.S.C. 1114(r) ....... $1,578; $2,350

38 U.S.C. 1114(s) ...... $2,359

Additional Compensation for

Dependents (38 U.S.C. 1115(1))

38 U.S.C. 1115 (1) Monthly

Rate

38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(A) ............... $121

38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(B) ............... $208; $63

38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(C) ............... $82; $63

38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(D) ............... $98

38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(E) ............... $229

38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(F) ................ $192

Clothing Allowance (38 U.S.C.

1162)—$565 per year.

DIC TO A SURVIVING SPOUSE (38

U.S.C. 1311)

Pay grade Monthly

rate

E–1 ............................................... $911

E–2 ............................................... 911

E–3 ............................................... 911

E–4 ............................................... 911

E–5 ............................................... 911

E–6 ............................................... 911

E–7 ............................................... 942

E–8 ............................................... 995

E–9(1) ........................................... 1,038

W–1 .............................................. 962

W–2 .............................................. 1,001

W–3 .............................................. 1,031

W–4 .............................................. 1,090

O–1 ............................................... 962

O–2 ............................................... 995

O–3 ............................................... 1,063

O–4 ............................................... 1,125

O–5 ............................................... 1,239

O–6 ............................................... 1,396

O–7 ............................................... 1,509

O–8 ............................................... 1,653

O–9 ............................................... 1,771

O–10(2) ......................................... 1,943

(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

surviving spouse’s monthly rate is

$1,119.

(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 $2,083.

DIC TO A SURVIVING SPOUSE (38

U.S.C. 1311(A) THROUGH (D))

38 U.S.C. 1311(a) through (d) Monthly

rate

38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(1) .................... $911

38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(2) .................... 197

38 U.S.C. 1311(b) ........................ 229

38 U.S.C. 1311(c) ......................... 229

38 U.S.C. 1311(d) ........................ 110

DIC TO CHILDREN (38 U.S.C. 1313)

38 U.S.C. 1313 Monthly rate

38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(1) .............. $386

38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(2) .............. $556

38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(3) .............. $723

38 U.S.C. 1313(a)(4) .............. $723; $140

SUPPLEMENTAL DIC TO CHILDREN (38

U.S.C. 1314)

38 U.S.C. 1314 Monthly

rate

38 U.S.C. 1314(a) ........................ $229

38 U.S.C. 1314(b) ........................ $386

38 U.S.C. 1314(c) ......................... $194

Section 304 of Public Law 106–419

replaces the previous 38 U.S.C.

5503(b)(1)(A) estate limitation threshold

of $1,500 for withholding of benefits,

and $500 for resumption of benefits.

The provision affects certain

incompetent, hospitalized or

institutionalized veterans who do not

have a dependent spouse or child.

The new estate value limit for

withholding of benefits is increased to

five times the 100 percent serviceconnected disability rate for a veteran

who does not have dependents. The

estate value amount at which benefits

may be resumed is now one half of that

rate. This new formula will cause the

estate limitation threshold to change

with each change to basic compensation

rates.

As a result, and effective November 1,

2000, the estate limitation threshold is

increased to $10,180 for withholding of

benefits, and $5,090 for resumption of

benefits. This is based on compensation

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 100 / Wednesday, May 23, 2001 / Notices 28599

rates in effect at the time of passage of

Public Law 106–419.

Also, effective December 1, 2000, the

estate limitation threshold is increased

to $10,535 for withholding of benefits,

and $5,267.50 for resumption of

benefits. This is based on the legislative

increase to basic compensation rates

effective December 1, 2000.

VA will publish the current dollar

amounts for withholding and

resumption of benefits under 38 U.S.C.

5503(b)(1)(A) with the Federal Register

notices for future legislative

adjustments.

Dated: May 16, 2001.

Anthony J. Principi,

Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

[FR Doc. 01–12973 Filed 5–22–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–U