[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Pages 20760-20761]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      VETERANS' COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2004

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 705, S. 2483.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2483) to increase, effective as of December 1, 
     2004, 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.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to comment 
briefly on legislation which was reported, after a unanimous 
affirmative vote, by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs on July 20, 
2004, and which is the subject of my request today that the bill be 
unanimously approved by the Senate. S. 2483 would grant to nearly 3 
million beneficiaries who receive certain ``cash-transfer'' payments 
from the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, a cost-of-living 
adjustment, COLA, increase in their benefits effective with checks 
received on or after January 1, 2005, and thereafter.
  An annual cost-of-living adjustment in veterans benefits is an 
important tool which protects veterans' cash- transfer benefits against 
the corrosive effects of inflation. The principal programs affected by 
the adjustment that would be made by S. 2483 would be compensation paid 
to disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation, so-
called ``DIC,'' payments made to the surviving spouses, minor children 
and other dependents of service members who died in service and to the 
survivors of former service members who died after service as a result 
of service-connected injuries or disease.
  The impact of the COLA which would be enacted here is outlined in 
detail in Report 108-351 which accompanied the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs approval of the bill on July 20, 2004. In summary, this 
legislation would grant to VA compensation and DIC beneficiaries the 
same percentage increase in benefits that will be granted to recipients 
of Social Security benefits in 2005--that is, an increase equal to the 
percentage increase in the consumer price index, CPI, for fiscal year 
2004 as measured and reported by the Department of Labor's Bureau of 
Labor Statistics later this year. The President's proposed budget for 
fiscal year 2005 requested such an increase, then estimated to be 1.3 
percent, and the Senate

[[Page 20761]]

has already concurred with the committee's judgment that such an 
increase is appropriate with its approval earlier this year of a budget 
resolution which assumes that such an increase will be enacted and 
which sets aside the funds necessary to finance the COLA increase 
envisioned by this legislation.
  I urge my colleagues to support enactment of this vital legislation 
and that they ``clear'' the bill for passage today. The bill still must 
clear the House of Representatives before it is presented to the 
President. As my colleagues fully understand, the days remaining for 
the House to take this action are dwindling.
  Mr. GRAHAM of Florida. Mr. President, as ranking member of the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I urge my colleagues to continue to 
support our veterans and their families by passing H.R. 4175, the 
proposed Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2004.
  The Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act would 
increase the rate of disability compensation for veterans with service-
connected disabilities and the rate of dependency and indemnity 
compensation for surviving spouses with minor children. This bill 
requires, effective December 1, 2004, that the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs increase the rates of compensation by the same percentage 
provided to Social Security recipients.
  In keeping with the commitment to care for the brave men and women 
who have served this great Nation, we must make every effort to 
continue to meet their needs. This legislation ensures that veterans 
and their families will be able to adjust their incomes to keep pace 
with inflation and is vital to the financial stability of many veterans 
and their families who are struggling with the rising costs of goods 
and services. Our veterans and their families depend on the cost-of-
living increase for their livelihood, therefore, it is important that 
we swiftly move this legislation.
  We must demonstrate our commitment to those who have already paid a 
great price through their selfless service to our Nation. At a time 
when our airmen, soldiers, sailors, and marines are in harm's way, we 
must remember the sacrifices that those before them have made on behalf 
of this grateful Nation by providing this cost-of-living adjustment.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read a third time and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs then be 
discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4175 and the Senate 
proceed to its consideration; provided that all after enacting clause 
be stricken and the text of S. 2483 be inserted in lieu thereof; the 
bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, en bloc, and that any statements 
relating to the bill be printed in the Record. I further ask unanimous 
consent that S. 2483 be returned to the calendar.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 2483) was read the third time.
  The bill (H.R. 4175), as amended, was read the third time and passed.

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