Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-675
Sponsor: Rep. Abraham, Ralph Lee [R-LA-5]
Introduced: 2015-02-03 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Commemorative events and holidays
Department of Veterans Affairs
Disability assistance
Federal appellate courts
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Inflation and prices
Judges
Life, casualty, property insurance
Specialized courts
Veterans' organizations and recognition
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-03
text: 
 
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2015

 
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase, as of December 1, 2015, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.
 
Each such increase shall be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date.

action_date: 2015-07-16
text: 

Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2015

 
TITLE I--COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT
 
(Sec. 101) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase, as of November 30, 2015, the rates of: 
 
 
veterans' disability compensation, 
 
additional compensation for dependents, 
 
 wartime disability compensation, 
 
the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and 
 
dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.
 
 
Each such increase shall be the same percentage as the benefits increase provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act, as of December 1, 2015.
 
(Sec. 102) The VA shall publish such adjusted rates in the Federal Register.
 
TITLE II--UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS
 
(Sec. 201) The temporary expansion of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is extended till January 1, 2020. 
 
(Sec. 202) Specified recall requirements for retired judges are amended. A recall-eligible judge may request a recall for a period of service of at least 90 days (or the equivalent).
 
(Sec. 203) A regular active service judge or a retired judge shall be treated as an employee for government life insurance purposes. 
 
(Sec. 204) Regular service judges, retired recall-eligible judges, and certain retired but not recall-eligible judges may purchase in three-month increments up to an additional year of service credit for each year of federal judicial service completed. 
 
(Sec. 205) The salary of Court judges is set at the rate applicable to federal appellate court judges. (Their salary is currently set at the rate applicable to federal district court judges.) 
 
(Sec. 206) The chief judge of the Court, in addition to existing qualifications, must not be older than 64 and have at least 3 years remaining in term of office as a judge of the Court in regular active service. 
 
TITLE III--IMPROVEMENT OF CLAIMS PROCESSING 
 
(Sec. 301) In the case of a disability compensation claim for two or more disabilities for which the VA, before completing the full adjudication, makes a decision with respect to a disability that would result in the payment of monetary benefits to the claimant, the VA shall make interim payments to the claimant based on such disability.
 
Upon completion of the adjudication of all the disability claims the VA will pay the full amount of accrued benefits, less the amount of the interim payments that the claimant has already received.
 
(Sec. 302) The VA shall: (1) establish a minimum two-year training program for newly hired claims processors, and (2) identify successful claims processors to assist in such training. 
 
(Sec. 303) The VA shall: (1) inform each person who submits a claim for benefits that he or she is eligible to receive up to an extra year of benefits payments upon the filing of a fully developed claim; and (2) post at each VA Regional Office, claims-intake facility, and on its website information regarding the average processing time of claims and the percentage of submitted claims for which benefits are awarded.
 
TITLE IV--OTHER MATTERS
 
(Sec. 401) The VA shall pay any accrued benefits due and unpaid, as of a veteran's date of death, to the veteran's estate unless the estate will escheat.
 
(Sec. 402) The President shall issue an annual proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe two minutes of silence on Veterans Day in honor of the service and sacrifice of veterans throughout the history of the nation.

action_date: 2015-07-28
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on July 16, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
 

Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2015

 
TITLE I--COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT
 
(Sec. 101) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase, as of November 30, 2015, the rates of: 
 
 
veterans' disability compensation, 
 
additional compensation for dependents, 
 
 wartime disability compensation, 
 
the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and 
 
dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.
 
 
Each such increase shall be the same percentage as the benefits increase provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act, as of December 1, 2015.
 
(Sec. 102) The VA shall publish such adjusted rates in the Federal Register.
 
TITLE II--UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS
 
(Sec. 201) The temporary expansion of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is extended till January 1, 2020. 
 
(Sec. 202) Specified recall requirements for retired judges are amended. A recall-eligible judge may request a recall for a period of service of at least 90 days (or the equivalent).
 
(Sec. 203) A regular active service judge or a retired judge shall be treated as an employee for government life insurance purposes. 
 
(Sec. 204) Regular service judges, retired recall-eligible judges, and certain retired but not recall-eligible judges may purchase in three-month increments up to an additional year of service credit for each year of federal judicial service completed. 
 
(Sec. 205) The salary of Court judges is set at the rate applicable to federal appellate court judges. (Their salary is currently set at the rate applicable to federal district court judges.) 
 
(Sec. 206) The chief judge of the Court, in addition to existing qualifications, must not be older than 64 and have at least 3 years remaining in term of office as a judge of the Court in regular active service. 
 
TITLE III--IMPROVEMENT OF CLAIMS PROCESSING 
 
(Sec. 301) In the case of a disability compensation claim for two or more disabilities for which the VA, before completing the full adjudication, makes a decision with respect to a disability that would result in the payment of monetary benefits to the claimant, the VA shall make interim payments to the claimant based on such disability.
 
Upon completion of the adjudication of all the disability claims the VA will pay the full amount of accrued benefits, less the amount of the interim payments that the claimant has already received.
 
(Sec. 302) The VA shall: (1) establish a minimum two-year training program for newly hired claims processors, and (2) identify successful claims processors to assist in such training. 
 
(Sec. 303) The VA shall: (1) inform each person who submits a claim for benefits that he or she is eligible to receive up to an extra year of benefits payments upon the filing of a fully developed claim; and (2) post at each VA Regional Office, claims-intake facility, and on its website information regarding the average processing time of claims and the percentage of submitted claims for which benefits are awarded.
 
TITLE IV--OTHER MATTERS
 
(Sec. 401) The VA shall pay any accrued benefits due and unpaid, as of a veteran's date of death, to the veteran's estate unless the estate will escheat.
 
(Sec. 402) The President shall issue an annual proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe two minutes of silence on Veterans Day in honor of the service and sacrifice of veterans throughout the history of the nation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-07-28
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2015-07-28
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 409 - 0 (Roll no. 472). (text: CR 7/27/2015 H5513-5515)
action_date: 2015-07-28
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2015-07-28
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 409 - 0 (Roll no. 472).(text: CR 7/27/2015 H5513-5515)
action_date: 2015-07-28
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5545)
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 675.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5513-5517)
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2015-07-16
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 155.
action_date: 2015-07-16
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 114-206.
action_date: 2015-07-16
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 114-206.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2015-04-14
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2015-02-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
action_date: 2015-02-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-02-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-03
text: Introduced in House