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 ‘‘Veterans’ Compensation
Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2004’’.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSA-
TION AND DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY
COMPENSATION.
(a) RATE ADJUSTMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall, effective on December 1, 2004, increase the
dollar amounts in effect for the payment of disability com-
pensation and dependency and indemnity compensation by
the Secretary, as specified in subsection (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 DEPEND-
ENTS.—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 ef-
fect 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 dol-
lar amounts in effect under sections 1313(a) and
1314 of such title.
(c) DETERMINATION
OF INCREASE.—(1) The in-
crease under subsection (a) shall be made in the dollar
amounts specified in subsection (b) as in effect on Novem-
ber 30, 2004.
(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 Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) are
increased effective December 1, 2004, as a result of a de-
termination under section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
415(i)).
(3) Each dollar amount increased pursuant to para-
graph (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 ad-
ministratively, consistent with the increases made under
subsection (a), the rates of disability compensation pay-
able 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 2005, 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.
SEC. 4. IMPROVED BENEFITS FOR FORMER PRISONERS OF
WAR.
Section 1112(b)(3) of title 38, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph:
‘‘(L) Osteoporosis.’’.
SEC. 5. CODIFICATION OF COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT
PROVIDED IN PUBLIC LAW 108–47.
(a) VETERANS’ DISABILITY COMPENSATION.—Sec-
tion 1114 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘$104’’ in subsection (a) and in-
serting ‘‘$106’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘$201’’ in subsection (b) and in-
serting ‘‘$205’’;
(3) by striking ‘‘$310’’ in subsection (c) and in-
serting ‘‘$316’’;
(4) by striking ‘‘$445’’ in subsection (d) and in-
serting ‘‘$454’’;
(5) by striking ‘‘$633’’ in subsection (e) and in-
serting ‘‘$646’’;
(6) by striking ‘‘$801’’ in subsection (f) and in-
serting ‘‘$817’’;
(7) by striking ‘‘$1,008’’ in subsection (g) and
inserting ‘‘$1,029’’;
(8) by striking ‘‘$1,171’’ in subsection (h) and
inserting ‘‘$1,195’’;
(9) by striking ‘‘$1,317’’ in subsection (i) and
inserting ‘‘$1,344’’;
(10) by striking ‘‘$2,193’’ in subsection (j) and
inserting ‘‘$2,239’’;
(11) in subsection (k)—
(A) by striking ‘‘$81’’ both places it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘$82’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘$2,728’’ and ‘‘$3,827’’
and inserting ‘‘$2,785’’ and ‘‘$3,907’’, respec-
tively;
(12) by striking ‘‘$2,728’’ in subsection (l) and
inserting ‘‘$2,785’’;
(13) by striking ‘‘$3,010’’ in subsection (m)
and inserting ‘‘$3,073’’;
(14) by striking ‘‘$3,425’’ in subsection (n) and
inserting ‘‘$3,496’’;
(15) by striking ‘‘$3,827’’ each place it appears
in subsections (o) and (p) and inserting ‘‘$3,907’’;
(16) by striking ‘‘$1,643’’ and ‘‘$2,446’’ in sub-
section (r) and inserting ‘‘$1,677’’ and ‘‘$2,497’’,
respectively; and
(17) by striking ‘‘$2,455’’ in subsection (s) and
inserting ‘‘$2,506’’.
(b) ADDITIONAL
COMPENSATION
FOR
DEPEND-
ENTS.—Section 1115(1) of such title is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘$125’’ in subparagraph (A)
and inserting ‘‘$127’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘$215’’ and ‘‘$64’’ in subpara-
graph (B) and inserting ‘‘$219’’ and ‘‘$65’’, respec-
tively;
(3) by striking ‘‘$85’’ and ‘‘$64’’ in subpara-
graph (C) and inserting ‘‘$86’’ and ‘‘$65’’, respec-
tively;
(4) by striking ‘‘$101’’ in subparagraph (D)
and inserting ‘‘$103’’;
(5) by striking ‘‘$237’’ in subparagraph (E)
and inserting ‘‘$241’’; and
(6) by striking ‘‘$198’’ in subparagraph (F)
and inserting ‘‘$202’’.
(c) CLOTHING ALLOWANCE FOR CERTAIN DISABLED
VETERANS.—Section 1162 of such title is amended by
striking ‘‘$588’’ and inserting ‘‘$600’’.
(d) DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION
FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES.—(1) Section 1311(a) of such
title is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘$948’’ in paragraph (1) and
inserting ‘‘$967’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘$204’’ in paragraph (2) and
inserting ‘‘$208’’.
(2) The table in section 1311(a)(3) of such title is
amended to read as follows:
Monthly
Monthly
‘‘Pay grade
rate
Pay grade
rate
E–1 ............................
$967
W–4 ............................
$1,157
E–2 ............................
$967
O–1 ............................
$1,022
E–3 ............................
$967
O–2 ............................
$1,056
E–4 ............................
$967
O–3 ............................
$1,130
E–5 ............................
$967
O–4 ............................
$1,195
E–6 ............................
$967
O–5 ............................
$1,316
E–7 ............................
$1,000
O–6 ............................
$1,483
E–8 ............................
$1,056
O–7 ............................
$1,602
E–9 ............................
$1,1021
O–8 ............................
$1,758
W–1 ............................
$1,022
O–9 ............................
$1,881
W–2 ............................
$1,063
O–10 ..........................
$2,0632
W–3 ............................
$1,094
‘‘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 1302 of this title, the surviving spouse’s rate shall be $1,189.
‘‘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 1302 of this title, the surviving
spouse’s rate shall be $2,213.’’.
(3) Section 1311(b) of such title is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘$237’’ and inserting ‘‘$241’’.
(4) Section 1311(c) of such title is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘$237’’ and inserting ‘‘$241’’.
(5) Section 1311(d) of such title is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘$113’’ and inserting ‘‘$115’’.
(e) DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION
FOR CHILDREN.—(1) Section 1313(a) of such title is
amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘$402’’ in paragraph (1) and
inserting ‘‘$410’’;
(B) by striking ‘‘$578’’ in paragraph (2) and
inserting ‘‘$590’’;
(C) by striking ‘‘$752’’ in paragraph (3) and
inserting ‘‘$767’’; and
(D) by striking ‘‘$752’’ and ‘‘$145’’ in para-
graph (4) and inserting ‘‘$767’’ and ‘‘$148’’, respec-
tively.
(2) Section 1314 of such title is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘$237’’ in subsection (a) and
inserting ‘‘$241’’;
(B) by striking ‘‘$402’’ in subsection (b) and
inserting ‘‘$410’’; and
(C) by striking ‘‘$201’’ in subsection (c) and in-
serting ‘‘$205’’.
Passed the House of Representatives July 22, 2004.
Attest:
Clerk.