H. R. 1683
One Hundred Eighth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the seventh day of January, two thousand and three
An Act
To increase, effective as of December 1, 2003, the rates of disablity compensation
for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and
indemnity compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled vet-
erans, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Compensation Cost-
of-Living Adjustment Act of 2003’’.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND
DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.
(a) RATE ADJUSTMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall,
effective on December 1, 2003, increase the dollar amounts in
effect for the payment of disability compensation and dependency
and indemnity compensation by the Secretary, as specified in sub-
section (b).
(b) AMOUNTS TO BE INCREASED.—The dollar amounts to be
increased pursuant to subsection (a) are the following:
(1) COMPENSATION.—Each of the dollar amounts in effect
under section 1114 of title 38, United States Code.
(2) ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR DEPENDENTS.—Each of
the dollar amounts in effect under section 1115(1) of such
title.
(3) CLOTHING ALLOWANCE.—The dollar amount in effect
under section 1162 of such title.
(4) NEW DIC RATES.—The dollar amounts in effect under
paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1311(a) of such title.
(5) OLD DIC RATES.—Each of the dollar amounts in effect
under section 1311(a)(3) of such title.
(6) ADDITIONAL DIC FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES WITH MINOR
CHILDREN.—The dollar amount in effect under section 1311(b)
of such title.
(7) ADDITIONAL DIC FOR DISABILITY.—The dollar amounts
in effect under sections 1311(c) and 1311(d) of such title.
(8) DIC FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN.—The dollar amounts
in effect under sections 1313(a) and 1314 of such title.
(c) DETERMINATION OF INCREASE.—(1) The increase under sub-
section (a) shall be made in the dollar amounts specified in sub-
section (b) as in effect on November 30, 2003.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), each such amount
shall be increased by the same percentage as the percentage by
which benefit amounts payable under title II of the Social Security
H. R. 1683—2
Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) are increased effective December 1,
2003, as a result of a determination under section 215(i) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)).
(3) Each dollar amount increased pursuant to paragraph (2)
shall, if not a whole dollar amount, be rounded down to the next
lower whole dollar amount.
(d) SPECIAL RULE.—The Secretary may adjust administratively,
consistent with the increases made under subsection (a), the rates
of disability compensation payable to persons within the purview
of section 10 of Public Law 85–857 (72 Stat. 1263) who are not
in receipt of compensation payable pursuant to chapter 11 of title
38, United States Code.
SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF ADJUSTED RATES.
At the same time as the matters specified in section 215(i)(2)(D)
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(2)(D)) are required
to be published by reason of a determination made under section
215(i) of such Act during fiscal year 2004, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall publish in the Federal Register the amounts specified
in subsection (b) of section 2, as increased pursuant to that section.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.