[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4843 Referred in Senate (RFS)]


109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4843


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 28, 2006

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To increase, effective as of December 1, 2006, the rates of disability 
 compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the 
rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain 
      service-connected disabled 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 ``Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living 
Adjustment Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND DEPENDENCY AND 
              INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.

    (a) Rate Adjustment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, 
effective on December 1, 2006, 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 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 amounts in effect under section 1311(b) 
        of such title and paragraph (1) of section 1311(f) of such 
        title (as redesignated by subsection (e) of this section).
            (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) Base for increase.--The increase under subsection (a) 
        shall be made in the dollar amounts specified in subsection (b) 
        as in effect on November 30, 2006.
            (2) Percentage of increase.--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, 2006, as a result of 
        a determination under section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        415(i)).
            (3) Rounding.--Each dollar amount increased pursuant to 
        paragraph (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 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.
    (e) Designation Correction.--Section 1311 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by redesignating the second subsection (e) 
(added by section 301(a) of the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 
2004 (Public Law 108-454; 118 Stat. 3610)) as subsection (f).

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 2006, 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.

            Passed the House of Representatives June 27, 2006.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.