[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15991]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      VETERANS' COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2011

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today, as chairman of the Senate 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I would like to show my strong support 
for Senate passage of S. 894, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living 
Adjustment Act of 2011.

  Effective December 1, 2011, this measure directs the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to increase the rates of veterans' compensation to 
keep pace with a rise in the cost-of-living, should an adjustment be 
prompted by an increase in the Consumer Price Index, commonly known as 
the CPI. Referred to as the COLA, this important legislation would make 
an increase available to veterans at the same level as an increase 
provided to recipients of Social Security benefits.
  All of my colleagues on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, including 
Ranking Member Burr and Senators Rockefeller, Akaka, Sanders, Brown of 
Ohio, Webb, Tester, Begich, Isakson, Wicker, Johanns, Brown of 
Massachusetts, Moran, and Boozman join me in supporting this important 
legislation. I look forward to our continued work together to improve 
the lives of our Nation's veterans.
  Last year, Congress passed, and the President signed into law, Public 
Law 111-247, which would have increased veterans' compensation rates 
had there been an increase in the CPI. While there was no cost-of-
living increase in 2011; the 2012 adjustment will be 3.6 percent.
  The COLA affects so many important benefits, including veterans' 
disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation for 
surviving spouses and children. It is projected that over 3.9 million 
veterans and survivors will receive these benefits in fiscal year 2012.
  Mr. President, our Nation's veterans are hurting. The cost of food 
and fuel continue to rise. Failing to pass a cost-of-living adjustment 
will have serious effects on the quality of life veterans deserve. We 
have an obligation to care for our brave veterans and their families by 
providing them with the compensation needed to maintain a quality 
standard of life.
  I ask my colleagues to keep our promise to our Nation's veterans by 
working together to ensure this benefit remains available and is not 
diminished by the effects of inflation.

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