Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNIT-
ED STATES CODE.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Veterans’ Compensation Rate Amendments of 1997’’.
(b) REFERENCES.—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 consid-
ered 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 amend-
ed—
(1) by striking out ‘‘$87’’ in subsection (a) and
inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$95’’;
(2) by striking out ‘‘$166’’ in subsection (b)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$182’’;
(3) by striking out ‘‘$253’’ in subsection (c)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$279’’;
(4) by striking out ‘‘$361’’ in subsection (d)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$399’’;
(5) by striking out ‘‘$515’’ in subsection (e)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$569’’;
(6) by striking out ‘‘$648’’ in subsection (f)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$717’’;
(7) by striking out ‘‘$819’’ in subsection (g)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$905’’;
(8) by striking out ‘‘$948’’ in subsection (h)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$1,049’’;
(9) by striking out ‘‘$1,067’’ in subsection (i)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$1,181’’;
(10) by striking out ‘‘$1,774’’ in subsection (j)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$1,964’’;
(11) in subsection (k)—
(A) by striking out ‘‘$70’’ both places it
appears and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$75’’;
and
(B) 
by 
striking 
out 
‘‘$2,207’’ 
and
‘‘$3,093’’ 
and 
inserting 
in 
lieu 
thereof
‘‘$2,443’’ and ‘‘$3,426’’, respectively;
(12) by striking out ‘‘$2,207’’ in subsection (l)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$2,443’’;
(13) by striking out ‘‘$2,432’’ in subsection (m)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$2,694’’;
(14) by striking out ‘‘$2,768’’ in subsection (n)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$3,066’’;
(15) by striking out ‘‘$3,093’’ each place it ap-
pears in subsections (o) and (p) and inserting in lieu
thereof ‘‘$3,426’’;
(16) by striking out ‘‘$1,328’’ and ‘‘$1,978’’ in
subsection (r) and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$1,471’’
and ‘‘$2,190’’, respectively; and
(17) by striking out ‘‘$1,985’’ in subsection (s)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$2,199’’.
(b) SPECIAL RULE.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs 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 out ‘‘$105’’ in clause (A) and
inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$114’’;
(2) by striking out ‘‘$178’’ and ‘‘$55’’ in clause
(B) and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$195’’ and ‘‘$60’’,
respectively;
(3) by striking out ‘‘$72’’ and ‘‘$55’’ in clause
(C) and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$78’’ and ‘‘$60’’,
respectively;
(4) by striking out ‘‘$84’’ in clause (D) and in-
serting in lieu thereof ‘‘$92’’;
(5) by striking out ‘‘$195’’ in clause (E) and
inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$215’’; and
(6) by striking out ‘‘$164’’ in clause (F) and
inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$180’’.
SEC. 4. CLOTHING ALLOWANCE FOR CERTAIN DISABLED
VETERANS.
Section 1162 is amended by striking out ‘‘$478’’ and
inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$528’’.
SEC. 5. DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION
FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES.
(a) NEW LAW RATES.—Section 1311(a) is amend-
ed—
(1) by striking out ‘‘$769’’ in paragraph (1)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$850’’; and
(2) by striking out ‘‘$169’’ in paragraph (2)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$185’’.
(b) OLD LAW RATES.—The table in subsection (a)(3)
is amended to read as follows:
Monthly
Monthly
‘‘Pay grade
rate
Pay grade
rate
E–1 .............................
$850
W–4 ............................
$1,017
E–2 .............................
850
O–1 .............................
898
E–3 .............................
850
O–2 .............................
928
E–4 .............................
850
O–3 .............................
992
E–5 .............................
850
O–4 .............................
1,049
E–6 .............................
850
O–5 .............................
1,155
E–7 .............................
879
O–6 .............................
1,302
E–8 .............................
928
O–7 .............................
1,406
E–9 .............................
1968
O–8 .............................
1,541
W–1 ............................
898
O–9 .............................
1,651
W–2 ............................
934
O–10 ...........................
21,811
W–3 ............................
962
‘‘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 des-
ignated by section 402 of this title, the surviving spouse’s rate shall be $1,044.
‘‘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 402 of this title, the surviving spouse’s
rate shall be $1,941.’’;
(c) ADDITIONAL
DIC 
FOR
CHILDREN.—Section
1311(b) is amended by striking out ‘‘$100’’ and all that
follows and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$215 for each such
child.’’.
(d) AID AND ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE.—Section
1311(c) is amended by striking out ‘‘$195’’ and inserting
in lieu thereof ‘‘$215’’.
(e) HOUSEBOUND RATE.—Section 1311(d) is amend-
ed by striking out ‘‘$95’’ and inserting in lieu thereof
‘‘$104’’.
SEC. 6. DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION
FOR CHILDREN.
(a) DIC FOR ORPHAN CHILDREN.—Section 1313(a)
is amended—
(1) by striking out ‘‘$327’’ in paragraph (1)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$361’’;
(2) by striking out ‘‘$471’’ in paragraph (2)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$520’’;
(3) by striking out ‘‘$610’’ in paragraph (3)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$675’’; and
(4) by striking out ‘‘$610’’ and ‘‘$120’’ in
paragraph (4) and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$675’’
and ‘‘$132’’, respectively.
(b) SUPPLEMENTAL DIC FOR DISABLED ADULT
CHILDREN.—Section 1314 is amended—
(1) by striking out ‘‘$195’’ in subsection (a)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$215’’;
(2) by striking out ‘‘$327’’ in subsection (b)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$361’’; and
(3) by striking out ‘‘$166’’ in subsection (c)
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$182’’.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect
on December 1, 1997.
Passed the House of Representatives October 31,
1997.
Attest:
Clerk.