H. R. 2280

One Hundred Sixth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,

the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine

An Act

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide a cost-of-living adjustment in

the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities

and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of such

veterans.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES

CODE.

(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’

Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 1999’’.

(b) REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE.—Except

as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or

repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of title 38, United

States Code.

SEC. 2. DISABILITY COMPENSATION.

(a) INCREASE IN RATES.—Section 1114 is amended—

(1) by striking ‘‘$95’’ in subsection (a) and inserting ‘‘$98’’;

(2) by striking ‘‘$182’’ in subsection (b) and inserting ‘‘$188’’;

(3) by striking ‘‘$279’’ in subsection (c) and inserting ‘‘$288’’;

(4) by striking ‘‘$399’’ in subsection (d) and inserting ‘‘$413’’;

(5) by striking ‘‘$569’’ in subsection (e) and inserting ‘‘$589’’;

(6) by striking ‘‘$717’’ in subsection (f ) and inserting ‘‘$743’’;

(7) by striking ‘‘$905’’ in subsection (g) and inserting ‘‘$937’’;

(8) by striking ‘‘$1,049’’ in subsection (h) and inserting ‘‘$1,087’’;

(9) by striking ‘‘$1,181’’ in subsection (i) and inserting ‘‘$1,224’’;

(10) by striking ‘‘$1,964’’ in subsection ( j) and inserting

‘‘$2,036’’;

(11) in subsection (k)—

(A) by striking ‘‘$75’’ both places it appears and

inserting ‘‘$76’’; and

(B) by striking ‘‘$2,443’’ and ‘‘$3,426’’ and inserting

‘‘$2,533’’ and ‘‘$3,553’’, respectively;

(12) by striking ‘‘$2,443’’ in subsection (l) and inserting

‘‘$2,533’’;

(13) by striking ‘‘$2,694’’ in subsection (m) and inserting

‘‘$2,794’’;

(14) by striking ‘‘$3,066’’ in subsection (n) and inserting

‘‘$3,179’’;
H. R. 2280—2

(15) by striking ‘‘$3,426’’ each place it appears in subsections (o) and (p) and inserting ‘‘$3,553’’;

(16) by striking ‘‘$1,471’’ and ‘‘$2,190’’ in subsection (r)

and inserting ‘‘$1,525’’ and ‘‘$2,271’’, respectively; and

(17) by striking ‘‘$2,199’’ in subsection (s) and inserting

‘‘$2,280’’.

(b) SPECIAL RULE.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may

authorize administratively, consistent with the increases authorized

by this section, the rates of disability compensation payable to

persons within the purview of section 10 of Public Law 85–857

who are not in receipt of compensation payable pursuant to chapter

11 of title 38, United States Code.

SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR DEPENDENTS.

Section 1115(1) is amended—

(1) by striking ‘‘$114’’ in clause (A) and inserting ‘‘$117’’;

(2) by striking ‘‘$195’’ and ‘‘$60’’ in clause (B) and inserting

‘‘$201’’ and ‘‘$61’’, respectively;

(3) by striking ‘‘$78’’ and ‘‘$60’’ in clause (C) and inserting

‘‘$80’’ and ‘‘$61’’, respectively;

(4) by striking ‘‘$92’’ in clause (D) and inserting ‘‘$95’’;

(5) by striking ‘‘$215’’ in clause (E) and inserting ‘‘$222’’;

and

(6) by striking ‘‘$180’’ in clause (F) and inserting ‘‘$186’’.

SEC. 4. CLOTHING ALLOWANCE FOR CERTAIN DISABLED VETERANS.

Section 1162 is amended by striking ‘‘$528’’ and inserting

‘‘$546’’.

SEC. 5. DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR

SURVIVING SPOUSES.

(a) NEW LAW RATES.—Section 1311(a) is amended—

(1) by striking ‘‘$850’’ in paragraph (1) and inserting ‘‘$881’’;

and

(2) by striking ‘‘$185’’ in paragraph (2) and inserting ‘‘$191’’.

(b) OLD LAW RATES.—The table in section 1311(a)(3) is amended

to read as follows:

Monthly Monthly

‘‘Pay grade rate Pay grade rate

E–1 .................................... $881 W–4 ................................... $1,054

E–2 .................................... 881 O–1 ................................... 930

E–3 .................................... 881 O–2 ................................... 962

E–4 .................................... 881 O–3 ................................... 1,028

E–5 .................................... 881 O–4 ................................... 1,087

E–6 .................................... 881 O–5 ................................... 1,198

E–7 .................................... 911 O–6 ................................... 1,349

E–8 .................................... 962 O–7 ................................... 1,458

E–9 .................................... 1,0031 O–8 ................................... 1,598

W–1 ................................... 930 O–9 ................................... 1,712

W–2 ................................... 968 O–10 ................................. 1,8782

W–3 ................................... 997

‘‘1If 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 $1,082.

‘‘2If 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

$2,013.’’.
H. R. 2280—3

(c) ADDITIONAL DIC FOR CHILDREN.—Section 1311(b) is

amended by striking ‘‘$215’’ and inserting ‘‘$222’’.

(d) AID AND ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE.—Section 1311(c) is

amended by striking ‘‘$215’’ and inserting ‘‘$222’’.

(e) HOUSEBOUND RATE.—Section 1311(d) is amended by striking

‘‘$104’’ and inserting ‘‘$107’’.

SEC. 6. DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR

CHILDREN.

(a) DIC FOR ORPHAN CHILDREN.—Section 1313(a) is amended—

(1) by striking ‘‘$361’’ in paragraph (1) and inserting ‘‘$373’’;

(2) by striking ‘‘$520’’ in paragraph (2) and inserting ‘‘$538’’;

(3) by striking ‘‘$675’’ in paragraph (3) and inserting ‘‘$699’’;

and

(4) by striking ‘‘$675’’ and ‘‘$132’’ in paragraph (4) and

inserting ‘‘$699’’ and ‘‘$136’’, respectively.

(b) SUPPLEMENTAL DIC FOR DISABLED ADULT CHILDREN.—

Section 1314 is amended—

(1) by striking ‘‘$215’’ in subsection (a) and inserting ‘‘$222’’;

(2) by striking ‘‘$361’’ in subsection (b) and inserting ‘‘$373’’;

and

(3) by striking ‘‘$182’’ in subsection (c) and inserting ‘‘$188’’.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.

The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on

December 1, 1999.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.