[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4850 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 4850


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 25, 2000

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To provide a cost-of-living adjustment in rates of compensation paid to 
   veterans with service-connected disabilities, to enhance programs 
 providing compensation and life insurance benefits for veterans, 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 Benefits Act of 2000''

                 TITLE I--ANNUAL COMPENSATION INCREASE

SEC. 101. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND DEPENDENCY 
              AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.

    (a) Rate Adjustment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, 
effective on December 1, 2000, increase the dollar amounts in effect 
for the payment of disability compensation 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 dependents.--Each of the 
        dollar amounts in effect under sections 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 subsection 
(a) shall be made in the dollar amounts specified in subsection (b) as 
in effect on November 30, 2000. 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, 2000, as a result of a determination 
under section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)).
    (2) In the computation of increased dollar amounts pursuant to 
paragraph (1), any amount which as so computed is not a whole dollar 
amount shall 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. 102. 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 2000, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall publish in the Federal Register the amounts specified in 
subsection (b) of section 101, as increased pursuant to that section.

                    TITLE II--BENEFITS IMPROVEMENTS

SEC. 201. STROKES AND HEART ATTACKS INCURRED OR AGGRAVATED BY MEMBERS 
              OF RESERVE COMPONENTS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY WHILE 
              PERFORMING INACTIVE DUTY TRAINING TO BE CONSIDERED TO BE 
              SERVICE-CONNECTED.

    (a) Scope of Term ``Active Military, Naval, or Air Service''.--
Section 101(24) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(24) The term `active military, naval, or air service' includes--
            ``(A) active duty;
            ``(B) any period of active duty for training during which 
        the individual concerned was disabled or died from a disease or 
        injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty; and
            ``(C) any period of inactive duty training during which the 
        individual concerned was disabled or died--
                    ``(i) from an injury incurred or aggravated in line 
                of duty; or
                    ``(ii) from an acute myocardial infarction, a 
                cardiac arrest, or a cerebrovascular accident occurring 
                during such training.''.
    (b) Travel To or From Training Duty.--Section 106(d) of such title 
is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(d)'';
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;
            (3) by inserting ``or covered disease'' after ``injury'' 
        each place it appears;
            (4) by designating the second sentence as paragraph (2);
            (5) by designating the third sentence as paragraph (3); and
            (6) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(4) For purposes of this subsection, the term `covered disease' 
means any of the following:
            ``(A) Acute myocardial infarction.
            ``(B) A cardiac arrest.
            ``(C) A cerebrovascular accident.''.

SEC. 202. COMPENSATION TO BE PAID AT SO-CALLED ``K'' RATE FOR SERVICE-
              CONNECTED LOSS OF ONE OR BOTH BREASTS DUE TO RADICAL 
              MASTECTOMY.

    Section 1114(k) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``or one or both breasts due to a radical mastectomy or 
modified radical mastectomy,'' after ``loss or loss of use of one or 
more creative organs,''.

                   TITLE III--VETERANS LIFE INSURANCE

SEC. 301. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE INDIVIDUAL READY 
              RESERVE FOR SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE.

    (a) Eligibility.--Section 1965(5) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (B);
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
        subparagraph (C):
                    ``(C) a person who volunteers for assignment to a 
                mobilization category in the Individual Ready Reserve, 
                as defined in section 12304(i)(1) of title 10; and''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Sections 1967(a), 1968(a), and 
1969(a)(2)(A) of such title are amended by striking ``section 
1965(5)(B) of this title'' each place it appears and inserting 
``subparagraphs (B) or (C) of section 1965(5) of this title''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section take 
effect on October 1, 2000.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 25, 2000.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.