[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14820-14822]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      VETERANS' COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2014

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 2258) to provide for an increase, effective December 1, 2014, 
in the rates of

[[Page 14821]]

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. 2258

       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 2014''.

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

       (a) Rate Adjustment.--Effective on December 1, 2014, the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall increase, in accordance 
     with subsection (c), the dollar amounts in effect on November 
     30, 2014, 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, 2014, 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 2015.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) and the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. 
Kirkpatrick) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.

                              {time}  1945


                             General Leave

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
S. 2258.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  As a senior member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I 
rise today in favor of S. 2258, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-
Living Adjustment Act of 2014.
  Mr. Speaker, it is timely that we consider this legislation today, 
having just observed last week the 13th anniversary of the September 11 
terrorist attacks on our homeland, the catalyst for our efforts to 
fight terrorism.
  Many of those who have sacrificed so much in recent and past 
conflicts aimed to protect America from harm are in continued and 
increased need. This is critical legislation that authorizes a cost-of-
living adjustment for disabled veterans receiving disability 
compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs and other 
compensation for survivors of veterans who have died as a result of 
their services to our country.
  The amount of the payment increases will be determined by the 
Consumer Price Index, which controls the cost-of-living adjustment for 
Social Security payments as well.
  I would like to thank Congressman Runyan of New Jersey, the chairman 
of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs 
within the Committee on Veterans Affairs, for introducing H.R. 4095, a 
companion bill to this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. KIRKPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, last week the Senate passed S. 2258, the Veterans' 
Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2014, which provides that 
veterans receive a cost-of-living adjustment beginning in December. 
Today, the House can also act to ensure veterans continue to receive 
the support they deserve.
  This is a bill that we must pass every year in order to ensure that 
the benefits we pay our veterans do not lose purchasing power because 
of inflation. Today we have the opportunity to pass this measure and 
send it to the President's desk.
  This bill directs the VA to increase the rates of veterans' 
disability compensation, provide additional compensation for disabled 
veterans with dependents, ensure certain disabled veterans receive a 
clothing allowance, and increase dependency and indemnity compensation 
for surviving spouses and children. These adjustments would be made 
effective December 1, 2014, and match the increase in Social Security 
benefits.
  S. 2258 will assist the estimated 4.5 million veterans and survivors 
who receive these monthly benefits and often depend upon these payments 
to make ends meet. For some, it is their only source of income.
  Without this annual COLA increase, veterans, their families and 
survivors, would see the value of their hard-earned benefits slowly 
erode. Providing for this cost-of-living increase is another important 
thing Congress can do to help veterans and their families that have 
already sacrificed so much for us.
  I urge my colleagues to support S. 2258, and I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. KIRKPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Nevada (Ms. Titus).
  Ms. TITUS. I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona for yielding to me 
and for all her hard work on behalf of our veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, as the ranking member of the Disability Assistance and 
Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, I rise in support of S. 2258, the 
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act.
  Unlike Social Security COLA increases, Congress must act each year to 
provide veterans with the COLA increase that they earned and deserved.
  I was proud to introduce the corresponding legislation in the House 
with our subcommittee chairman, Jon Runyan. Together, we also 
introduced legislation to make this yearly adjustment automatic.
  So today, the House will pass a number of bills that are designed to 
meet the bipartisan goal of ensuring our Nation's heroes receive all 
the benefits they have earned. But there is an important bill that has 
been blocked from consideration in the House. That bill is H.R. 2529, 
the Veteran Spouses Equal Treatment Act, which would provide all 
married veterans and their families access to Federal benefits that 
they deserve.
  Last week in the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, only one 
Republican had the courage to vote to provide access to VA benefits to 
legally married, same-sex couples, regardless of where they live, 
couples who received the benefits while they were in the military but 
lost them upon becoming veterans if they reside in certain States.
  We heard all types of pitiful excuses. We heard that it was 
unconstitutional

[[Page 14822]]

for Congress to force States to adopt Federal directives. That is 
ridiculous and intellectually dishonest. In fact, this House voted 
unanimously earlier this year to mandate that States provide instate 
tuition for veterans, a bill authored by the very Member who made the 
specious states' rights argument against H.R. 2529. And if you can even 
believe it, we heard process arguments as an excuse for not doing the 
right thing. I would remind my colleagues that they are the ones who 
make the process.
  So when we vote today to adjust the COLA, remember that this increase 
is meaningless to thousands of our Nation's heroes in States like 
Texas, Florida, and North Carolina. They will not be receiving the 
benefits they earned and deserve. It is shameful and it is unfair.
  So, Mr. Speaker, while I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2258, I 
would remind them of these facts and implore the Republican leadership 
to do the right thing and bring H.R. 2529 to the floor for a vote so 
all veterans will get the benefits they earned and deserve.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. KIRKPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 2258 and send this 
important bill to the President today.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I too urge all Members to support S. 2258, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, thank you, Chairman Miller, for 
your work to bring this legislation to the floor of the House that is 
so important to so many veterans depending on VA compensation.
  This legislation affects the benefits of all veterans, by raising the 
compensation they receive to allow them to continue to buy the products 
they need to live.
  It is important to pass this clean bill to make sure that those who 
have sacrificed to protect the freedoms we hold most dear do not suffer 
in these tough economic times.
  In the words of the first President of the United States, George 
Washington:
  ``The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in 
any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to 
how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and 
appreciated by their country.''
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2258, 
the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2014.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an undeniable truth that our military veterans 
deserve our deepest gratitude for the courage and valor they 
demonstrated while defending the United States of America.
  One way the nation can express its deepest appreciation for our 
service men and women is by assisting disabled veterans with 
compensation and financial support.
  The VA estimated that it will provide compensation to over 4 million 
beneficiaries in FY 2014.
  Among the veterans estimated to receive such compensation are:
  136,897 World War II veterans
  140,169 Korean War veterans
  1,327,348 Vietnam-era veterans
  1,546,030 Gulf War-era veterans
  695,574 veterans who served during peacetime
  Close to half of the nearly 2 million veterans of the wars in Iraq 
and Afghanistan have or will seek compensation for service-related 
injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  We must be certain that disability compensation provides adequate 
assistance to veterans, and this bill does so by increasing the amounts 
paid by the same cost-of-living adjustment that will be payable to 
Social Security recipients.
  Mr. Speaker, not only does S. 2258 benefit our injured veterans, it 
also helps the families of these injured service members by providing 
increased compensation for dependents and surviving spouses.
  By passing S. 2258, countless veterans and their families would have 
financial stress alleviated thanks to increased rates of veterans' 
disability compensation.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge all members to support the passage of S. 
2258 to ensure that all of our courageous veterans receive adequate 
disability compensation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 2258.
  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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