[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7107]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF H.R. 4175, VETERANS' COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING 
                         ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 20, 2004

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce H.R. 
4175, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2004. 
Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Lane Evans, as well as the 
Chairman and Ranking Member of the Benefits Subcommittee, Henry Brown 
and Michael Michaud, respectively, join me as original cosponsors of 
the bill. H.R. 4175 would provide a cost-of-living adjustment to 
veterans' benefits, effective December 1, 2004.
  The VA Committee periodically reviews the service-connected 
disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) 
programs to ensure that the benefits provide reasonable and adequate 
compensation for disabled veterans and their families. Based on this 
review, Congress acts annually to provide a cost-of-living adjustment 
in compensation and DIC benefits.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress has provided increases in these rates for every 
fiscal year since 1976. The Administration's fiscal year 2005 budget 
submission includes funding for a projected 1.3 percent increase.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

                          ____________________