[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4850 Reported in House (RH)]
Union Calendar No. 450
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4850
[Report No. 106-783]
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 13, 2000
Mr. Stump (for himself, Mr. Evans, Mr. Quinn, and Mr. Filner)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs
July 24, 2000
Additional sponsors: Mr. Stupak, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mrs. Morella, Mr.
Klink, Mr. Gibbons, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Rodriguez,
Mr. LaHood, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Hayworth, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Snyder, Ms.
Berkley, Ms. Carson, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. Brown
of Florida, Mr. Peterson of Minnesota, Mr. Shimkus, and Mr. Bonior
July 24, 2000
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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.
Union Calendar No. 450
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4850
[Report No. 106-783]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 24, 2000
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed