[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 160 (Tuesday, November 12, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6971-H6972]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      VETERANS' COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2013

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (S. 893) to provide for an increase, effective December 
1, 2013, in the rates of compensation for veterans with service-
connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity 
compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 893

       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' Compensation Cost-
     of-Living Adjustment Act of 2013''.

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

       (a) Rate Adjustment.--Effective on December 1, 2013, the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall increase, in accordance 
     with subsection (c), the dollar amounts in effect on November 
     30, 2013, for the payment of disability compensation and 
     dependency and indemnity compensation under the provisions 
     specified in subsection (b).
       (b) Amounts To Be Increased.--The dollar amounts to be 
     increased pursuant to subsection (a) are the following:
       (1) Wartime disability compensation.--Each of the dollar 
     amounts under section 1114 of title 38, United States Code.
       (2) Additional compensation for dependents.--Each of the 
     dollar amounts under section 1115(1) of such title.
       (3) Clothing allowance.--The dollar amount under section 
     1162 of such title.
       (4) Dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving 
     spouse.--Each of the dollar amounts under subsections (a) 
     through (d) of section 1311 of such title.
       (5) Dependency and indemnity compensation to children.--
     Each of the dollar amounts under sections 1313(a) and 1314 of 
     such title.
       (c) Determination of Increase.--Each dollar amount 
     described in subsection (b) 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, 2013, as a result 
     of a determination under section 215(i) of such Act (42 
     U.S.C. 415(i)).
       (d) Special Rule.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
     adjust administratively, consistent with the increases made 
     under subsection (a), the rates of disability compensation 
     payable to persons under section 10 of Public Law 85-857 (72 
     Stat. 1263) who have not received compensation under chapter 
     11 of title 38, United States Code.
       (e) Publication of Adjusted Rates.--The Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall publish in the Federal Register the 
     amounts specified in subsection (b), as increased under 
     subsection (a), not later than the date on which 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 2014.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Miller) and the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include any extraneous material on S. 893.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  As chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I rise today 
in support of S. 893, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living 
Adjustment Act of 2013.
  Mr. Speaker, it is entirely appropriate that we consider this 
legislation today after we honored America's veterans yesterday.
  This is critically important legislation that authorizes a cost-of-
living increase for disabled veterans in receipt of disability 
compensation payments from VA, veterans' clothing allowance payments, 
and other compensation for survivors of veterans who die as a result of 
their service to this country. The amount of the increase is determined 
by the consumer price index, which also controls the cost-of-living 
adjustment for Social Security beneficiaries. That increase is 
scheduled to be 1\1/2\ percent.
  I want to thank Congressman Runyan of New Jersey, the chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, for 
introducing H.R. 569, which was the companion bill to this piece of 
legislation.
  I urge all my colleagues to support S. 893, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Yesterday was Veterans Day. Its origin began 95 years ago on the 11th 
hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. The armistice was signed 
marking the end of World War I. The next year we saw the first 
commemoration of Armistice Day, which became Veterans Day in 1954. 
Every Veterans Day since then has been a day of remembrance and 
commemoration for all of our veterans.
  Today, we have the opportunity to put the thoughts and feelings of 
Veterans Day into practical action. Today, with the agreement of the 
House, we will ensure that veterans continue to receive the support 
they need.
  On October 28, the Senate passed S. 893, the Veterans' Compensation 
Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2013, which provides that veterans 
receive a projected 1.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment beginning in 
January.
  This bill directs the VA to increase the rate of basic compensation 
for disabled veterans and the rate of dependency and indemnity 
compensation for their survivors and dependents.
  Since 1976, Congress has acted annually to increase these benefits by 
an amount estimated to keep pace with inflation. This year's increase 
is the same as that provided to Social Security recipients.
  Without this annual COLA increase, veterans, their families, and 
survivors would see the value of their hard-earned benefits slowly 
erode.

                              {time}  1745

  Many of the millions of veterans and survivors who receive monthly 
benefits depend upon these payments in order to make ends meet. For 
some, it is their only source of income.
  Providing for a cost-of-living increase is an important thing that we

[[Page H6972]]

all can do to help veterans and ensure that the value of their benefits 
does not decrease over time due to inflation. It is a way that we can, 
the day after Veterans Day, thank our veterans again for their service 
and their sacrifice. I urge my colleagues to support S. 893.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Runyan), the chairman of 
the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
  Mr. RUNYAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Miller for yielding me this 
time.
  I rise today in strong support of S. 893, the Veterans' Compensation 
Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2013. This bill is a companion bill to 
H.R. 569, which I introduced earlier this year in the House of 
Representatives. H.R. 569 was included in H.R. 357, which passed the 
House Veterans' Affairs Committee earlier this year.
  S. 893 provides a cost-of-living adjustment to veterans' disability 
compensation, survivors' dependency and indemnity compensation, and 
other benefits.
  Mr. Speaker, many disabled veterans depend on these benefits to make 
ends meet, and this bill will assist these veterans as the cost-of-
living continues to increase.
  While I am very supportive of this bill, I would like to once again 
state that it is unfortunate that we have to be here to pass this bill 
each and every year. That is why I introduced H.R. 570, the American 
Heroes COLA Act, which would authorize a COLA every year without 
congressional action. This would ensure that the COLA for the most 
deserving Americans is not tied to action or inaction in Washington.
  The House passed H.R. 570 earlier this year, and I remain hopeful 
that our colleagues in the Senate will follow suit so we can provide 
this needed benefit to veterans and their families without having to 
wait on Congress to act.
  Once again, I thank Chairman Miller and the House leadership for 
bringing this important legislation to the floor. I urge all of my 
colleagues to fully support S. 893.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).
  Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Miller and thank Ranking 
Member Michaud for yielding me this time.
  As the ranking member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial 
Affairs Subcommittee, I rise today in strong support of S. 893 to 
provide a COLA increase for disabled veterans.
  In the wake of Veterans Day, let us take a lesson from President 
Kennedy's admonition that we should show our respect for our heroes not 
just through words, but through actions. This legislation is an 
opportunity for us to take such action. With its passage, Congress can 
show tangible support for our Nation's heroes.
  Unlike with Social Security recipients, Congress is required to 
adjust veterans' COLAs every year. S. 893 would make that important 
adjustment for next year. That's a good thing that I support, but I 
would also urge the Senate in the meantime to pass H.R. 570, the 
American Heroes COLA Act, that would allow for an automatic COLA 
increase so that veterans' benefits are not subject to any 
congressional delay. Making the adjustment automatic would remove this 
important benefit from the capriciousness of partisan politics or 
personal grandstanding.
  This bill was introduced in a bipartisan fashion by our subcommittee 
chairman, Jon Runyan, and me. It was unanimously approved by the House 
in May and is awaiting action down the hall. So, while we await the 
passage of that automatic increase, passing S. 893 is an important step 
forward. I support it. It will ensure that our Nation's heroes receive 
all the benefits they have earned, and I encourage my colleagues to 
support it as well because this will be a true recognition of the 
veterans whose service and sacrifice we honored yesterday.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Benishek), the chairman of 
the Subcommittee on Health.
  Mr. BENISHEK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 893, 
legislation to provide a 2014 cost-of-living adjustment to disabled 
veterans and their survivors. With prices going up for groceries, gas, 
and utilities, an increase is needed for our veterans and their 
families in northern Michigan.
  However, without this legislation, there would be no COLA. As a 
doctor who served at the VA hospital in Iron Mountain for 20 years and 
the father of a Navy veteran, I am disappointed that our veterans are 
once again put at risk of being held hostage to Washington politics. 
Those who serve our Nation should never have to wonder whether or not 
Congress will provide them with the benefits they have earned.
  In May, the House passed the American Heroes COLA Act, introduced by 
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Runyan). This legislation will 
permanently tie the COLA to the consumer price index, the same as 
Social Security disability.
  I urge the Senate to immediately act on the American Heroes COLA Act 
and join the House of Representatives in a clear statement that our 
veterans must not be used as pawns in Washington political games. I 
urge support of S. 893.
  MR. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, so I urge my 
colleagues to support S. 893 and send this important bill to the 
President today.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I too ask all of my colleagues to 
support S. 893.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 893.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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