I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1553 
To provide for cost-of-living increases for certain Federal benefits programs 
based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for the elderly. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 6, 2019 
Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. WASSERMAN 
SCHULTZ, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. 
MOULTON, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. POCAN, Mr. 
FITZPATRICK, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. DEUTCH, Ms. MCCOL-
LUM, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. MCNERNEY, and Ms. WILD) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, 
and in addition to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs, Oversight and 
Reform, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for cost-of-living increases for certain Federal 
benefits programs based on increases in the Consumer 
Price Index for the elderly. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fair COLA for Seniors 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. COST-OF-LIVING INCREASES FOR CERTAIN FED-
ERAL BENEFITS PROGRAMS BASED ON IN-
CREASES IN THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX 
FOR THE ELDERLY. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever 
there is an increase in the Consumer Price Index for the 
elderly, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 
dollar amounts in effect for the payment of the following 
benefits, as such amounts were in effect immediately be-
fore the increase in the Consumer Price Index for the el-
derly, shall be increased by the same percentage as such 
price index was increased: 
(1) An annuity under the Civil Service Retire-
ment System or the Federal Employees Retirement 
System. 
(2) Department of Veterans Affairs wartime 
disability compensation under section 1114 of title 
38, United States Code. 
(3) Department of Veterans Affairs additional 
compensation for dependents under section 1115(1) 
of such title. 
(4) The Department of Veterans Affairs cloth-
ing allowance under section 1162 of such title. 
(5) Department of Veterans Affairs dependency 
and indemnity compensation to surviving spouse 
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under subsections (a) through (d) of section 1311 of 
such title. 
(6) Department of Veterans Affairs dependency 
and indemnity compensation to children under sec-
tions 1313(a) and 1314 of such title. 
(7) Military retirement and survivor benefit 
programs, as defined in section 1461(b) of title 10, 
United States Code. 
(8) Any old-age, survivors, or disability insur-
ance benefit under title II of the Social Security Act. 
Æ 
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