[Senate Report 106-398]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                       Calendar No. 788
106th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session                                                     106-398

======================================================================



 
      VETERANS' COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2000

                                _______
                                

               September 5, 2000.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Specter, from the Committee on Veterans' Affair, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 3011]

    The Committee on Veterans' Affairs reported an original 
bill (S. 3011), to increase, effective as of December 1, 2000, 
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 recommends that the original bill do pass.

                             Committee Bill

    The text of the original bill as reported is as follows:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-
Living Adjustment Act of 2000''.

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

    (a) Rate Adjustment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, 
effective on December 1, 2000, increase the dollar amounts in effect 
for the payment of disability compensation and dependency and indemnity 
compensation by the Secretary, as specified in subsection (b).
    (b) Amounts To Be Increased.--The dollar amounts to be increased 
pursuant to subsection (a) are the following:
          (1) Compensation.--Each of the dollar amounts in effect under 
        section 1114 of title 38, United States Code.
          (2) Additional compensation for dependents.--Each of the 
        dollar amounts in effect under sections 1115(1) of such title.
          (3) Clothing allowance.--The dollar amount in effect under 
        section 1162 of such title.
          (4) New dic rates.--The dollar amounts in effect under 
        paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1311(a) of such title.
          (5) Old dic rates.--Each of the dollar amounts in effect 
        under section 1311(a)(3) of such title.
          (6) Additional dic for surviving spouses with minor 
        children.--The dollar amount in effect under section 1311(b) of 
        such title.
          (7) Additional dic for disability.--The dollar amounts in 
        effect under sections 1311(c) and 1311(d) of such title.
          (8) DIC for dependent children.--The dollar amounts in effect 
        under sections 1313(a) and 1314 of such title.
    (c) Determination of Increase.--(1) The increase under subsection 
(a) shall be made in the dollar amounts specified in subsection (b) as 
in effect on November 30, 2000.
    (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), each such amount 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, 2000, as a result of a 
determination under section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)).
    (3) Each dollar amount increased pursuant to paragraph (2) shall, 
if not a whole dollar amount, be rounded down to the next lower whole 
dollar amount.
    (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 within the 
purview of section 10 of Public Law 85-857 (72 Stat. 1263) who are not 
in receipt of compensation payable pursuant to chapter 11 of title 38, 
United States Code.

SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF ADJUSTED RATES.

    At the same time as 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 2001, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall publish in the Federal Register the amounts specified in 
subsection (b) of section 2, as increased pursuant to that section.

                              Introduction

    The Committee on Veterans' Affairs (hereinafter, the 
``Committee'') hereby reports an original bill to increase, 
effective as of December 1, 2000, the rates of compensation for 
veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of 
dependency and indemnity compensation (hereinafter, ``DIC'') 
for the survivors of certain disabled veterans.

                           Committee Hearing

    On July 20, 2000, the Committee held a hearing on 
legislation pending before the Committee. Among the measures on 
which the Committee received testimony was a draft bill to 
increase, effective as of December 1, 2000, the rates of 
compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities 
and the rates of DIC for the survivors of certain disabled 
veterans. The Committee received testimony from, among others, 
representatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(hereinafter, ``VA''), and from representatives of The American 
Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American 
Veterans, AMVETS, and the Paralyzed Veterans of America. The 
Committee also received written statements for the record from 
a number of organizations, including the Vietnam Veterans of 
America.

                           Committee Meeting

    On July 27, 2000, the Committee met in open session to 
consider legislation pending before the Committee. Among the 
measures so considered was an original bill (hereinafter, the 
``Committee bill'') to increase, effective as of December 1, 
2000, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-
connected disabilities and the rates of DIC for the survivors 
of certain disabled veterans. The Committee voted by unanimous 
voice vote to report the Committee bill favorably to the 
Senate.

               Summary of the Committee Bill as Reported

    The Committee bill contains freestanding provisions that 
would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase, 
effective December 1, 2000, the rates of and limitations on 
certain benefits paid by VA by the same percentage as the cost-
of-living adjustment (hereinafter, ``COLA'') provided to Social 
Security recipients and VA pension beneficiaries that becomes 
effective on the same date. The COLA would apply to:
          1. Basic compensation rates for veterans with 
        service-connected disabilities and the rates payable 
        for certain severe disabilities;
          2. The allowances for spouses, children, and 
        dependent parents paid to service-connected disabled 
        veterans rated 30 percent or more disabled;
          3. The annual clothing allowance paid to veterans 
        whose compensable disability requires the use of a 
        prosthetic or orthopedic appliance (including a 
        wheelchair) that tends to tear or wear out clothing, or 
        requires the use of a medication prescribed by a 
        physician for a service-connected skin condition if the 
        medication causes irreparable damage to the veteran's 
        outer garments; and
          4. The dependency and indemnity compensation rates 
        paid to:
                  (a) surviving spouses of veterans whose 
                deaths were service connected;
                  (b) surviving spouses for dependent children;
                  (c) surviving spouses who are so disabled 
                that they need aid and attendance or are 
                permanently housebound; and
                  (d) the children of veterans whose deaths 
                were service connected if no surviving spouse 
                is entitled to DIC, the child is age 18 through 
                22 and attending an approved educational 
                institution, or the child is age 18 or over and 
                became permanently incapable of self-support 
                prior to reaching age 18.
    The Congressional Budget Office (hereinafter, ``CBO'') 
currently estimates that the COLA to be provided to Social 
Security recipients will be 2.4 percent.

                               Background

Disability compensation

    The service-connected disability compensation program under 
chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, provides monthly 
cash benefits to veterans who have disabilities incurred or 
aggravated during active duty in the Armed Forces.
    The amount of compensation paid depends on the nature of 
the veteran's disability or combination of disabilities and the 
extent to which the disability impairs earning capacity. VA 
rates compensable disabilities according to its Schedule for 
Rating Disabilities on a graduated scale ranging from 0 to 100 
percent, in 10-percent increments. VA pays higher monthly rates 
(known as ``special monthly compensation'') to totally disabled 
veterans with certain specific, very severe disabilities or 
combinations of disabilities.
    As of March 31, 2000, VA was providing disability 
compensation to 2,298,737 veterans with service-connected 
disabilities. Among the veterans receiving such compensation 
were 61 World War I veterans; 522,015 World War II veterans; 
172,567 Korean-conflict veterans; 737,798 Vietnam-era veterans; 
and 302,572 veterans of the Persian Gulf War era.
    A veteran with a disability rated at 30 percent or more may 
receive additional compensation on behalf of the veteran's 
spouse, children, and dependent parents. These dependents' 
allowances are prorated according to the percentage of 
disability. As of March 31, 1999, 730,642 veterans received 
additional compensation on behalf of 1,110,711 dependents.

Dependency and indemnity compensation

    Under chapter 13 of title 38, VA pays dependency and 
indemnity compensation to the survivors of service members or 
veterans who died on or after January 1, 1957, from a disease 
or injury incurred or aggravated during military service. 
Survivors eligible for DIC include surviving spouses, unmarried 
children under the age of 18, children age 18 or older who are 
permanently incapable of self-support, children between the 
ages of 18 and 22 who are enrolled in school, and certain needy 
parents. Under section 5312 of title 38, parents' DIC rates are 
adjusted automatically at the same time and by the same 
percentage as Social Security and VA pension benefits. 
Surviving spouses, children, and parents who are receiving 
death compensation based on deaths before January 1, 1957, may 
elect to receive DIC instead of death compensation.
    For deaths prior to January 1, 1993, surviving spouses 
received DIC at rates determined by the pay grade (service 
rank) of the deceased veteran. For deaths on or after January 
1, 1993, surviving spouses currently receive $881 per month 
and, if the deceased veteran was totally disabled for 8 years 
prior to death, an additional $191 per month. Surviving spouses 
who had been receiving benefits under the prior DIC program are 
paid under whichever program will pay the higher benefit.
    A surviving spouse who is so disabled as to be housebound 
or in need of regular aid and attendance is eligible to receive 
an additional amount. A surviving spouse also may receive 
additional allowances on behalf of the veteran's surviving 
children.
    Children are entitled to DIC if there is no surviving 
spouse, if they are 18 years or older and became permanently 
incapable of self-support before reaching age 18, or if they 
are 18 to 22 years old and pursuing an approved course of 
education.
    As of June 30, 2000, VA was paying DIC benefits to, or on 
behalf of, 286,866 surviving spouses, 31,803 children, and 
10,670 needy surviving parents.
    Under section 1318(b) of title 38, VA pays benefits at DIC 
rates to the surviving spouses and children of veterans whose 
deaths are not service connected if the veteran, immediately 
prior to his or her death, had been receiving (or had been 
entitled to receive) compensation at the 100-percent rate 
continuously for 10 or more years or for at least 5 years from 
the date of discharge or release from active duty.

History of cost-of-living increases

    The Committee periodically reviews the service-connected 
disability compensation and DIC programs to ensure that the 
benefits provide reasonable and adequate compensation for 
disabled veterans and their families. Based on this review, the 
Congress acts periodically to provide a cost-of-living 
adjustment in compensation and DIC benefits. In fact, the 
Congress has provided annual increases in these rates for every 
fiscal year since 1976. The following table shows the 
percentage increases since 1975.

 HISTORY OF SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY COMPENSATION INCREASES, 1975 TO
                                 PRESENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Increase    Cumulative
         Fiscal year            Effective date   (percent)   (1969=$100)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1976.........................  August 1975....         11.8       158.55
1977.........................  October 1976...          8.0       171.23
1978.........................  October 1977...          6.6       182.53
1979.........................  October 1978...          7.3       195.86
1980.........................  October 1979...          9.9       215.25
1981.........................  October 1980...         14.3       246.03
1982.........................  October 1981...         11.2       273.58
1983.........................  October 1982...          7.4       293.82
1984.........................  April 1983.....          3.5       304.11
1985.........................  December 1984..          3.2       313.84
1986.........................  December 1985..          3.1       323.57
1987.........................  December 1986..          1.5       328.42
1988.........................  December 1987..          4.2       342.22
1989.........................  December 1988..          4.1       356.25
1990.........................  December 1989..          4.7       372.99
1991.........................  December 1990            5.4       393.13
                                \1\.
1992.........................  December 1991..          3.7       407.68
1993.........................  December 1992..          3.0       419.91
1994.........................  December 1993..          2.6       430.83
1995.........................  December 1994            2.8       442.89
                                \2\.
1996.........................  December 1995            2.6       454.41
                                \2\.
1997.........................  December 1996..          2.9       467.59
1998.........................  December 1997            2.1       477.41
                                \2\.
1999.........................  December 1998            1.3       483.62
                                \2\.
2000.........................  December 1999            2.4       495.23
                                \2\.
2001.........................  December 2000        \3\ 2.4   \3\ 507.12
                                \2\.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Payment of the December 1990 increase was delayed until January 1992
  by section 8005(b) of Public Law 101-508.
\2\ December 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 increases are
  rounded to the next lower dollar amount pursuant to sections 2(c)(2)
  of Public Law 103-418 and Public Law 104-57, and section 8031 of
  Public Law 105-33.
\3\ Estimate.

                             committee bill

    The Committee bill would direct VA to compute and provide 
increases in the monthly rates of compensation and DIC, 
effective December 1, 2000. The rates would be increased by the 
same percentage as the Social Security and VA pension COLA that 
will take effect on that date. In accordance with section 8031 
of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33), amounts 
of compensation so computed that are not even multiples of $1 
will be rounded down to the next lower whole dollar amount.
    The increases in DIC automatically would result in 
identical percentage increases in benefits paid at DIC rates 
under section 1318(b) of title 38 to the surviving spouses and 
children of veterans who had a service-connected disability at 
the time of death for which they continuously were rated 
totally disabled for at least either (1) 10 years, or (2) 5 
years from the date of discharge from active duty.
    Under section 156(e)(1)(A) of Public Law 97-377, the DIC 
increases also automatically would result in the same 
percentage increases in Social Security benefits that were 
terminated by section 2205 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation 
Act of 1981 (hereinafter, ``OBRA 1981'') (Public Law 97-35). 
Prior to OBRA 1981, those benefits had been paid to certain 
surviving spouses of those who died on active duty or from a 
service-connected disability on behalf of their children under 
18 and children over age 19 who were secondary-school students; 
OBRA 1981 reduced the eligibility cutoff age from 18 to 16 
years old.
    Section 314 of Public Law 100-322 amended section 156(a)(1) 
of Public Law 97-377 to restore the benefits eliminated by OBRA 
1981. The DIC increase also would apply to these restored 
benefits, effective December 1, 2000.
    CBO, in its most recent baseline, estimated that the fiscal 
year 2001 Social Security COLA, and thus the COLA provided for 
by the Committee bill, will be 2.4 percent. The actual Social 
Security COLA could differ from this estimate. Rather than 
selecting any particular percentage adjustment at the time the 
Committee ordered the bill reported, the Committee followed its 
prior practice of setting the COLA by reference to the Social 
Security increase. The Committee believes this is the most 
equitable means of providing increases in these important 
service-connected benefits.

                             cost estimate

    In compliance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee, based on 
information supplied by CBO, estimates that, compared to the 
CBO baseline, there would be no costs or savings resulting from 
enactment of the Committee bill.
    The cost estimate provided by CBO follows:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                    Washington, DC, August 3, 2000.
Hon. Arlen Specter,
Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for the Veterans' 
Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2000.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Michelle 
Patterson, who can be reached at 226-2840.
            Sincerely,
                                            Dan L. Crippen,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2000

    The bill would increase the amounts paid to veterans for 
disability compensation and to their survivors for dependency 
and indemnity compensation by the same cost-of-living 
adjustment (COLA) payable to Social Security recipients. The 
increase would take effect on December 1, 2000, and the results 
of the adjustment would be rounded to the next lower dollar.
    The COLA that would be authorized by this bill is assumed 
in the budget resolution baseline, pursuant to section 257 of 
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, and 
savings from rounding it down were achieved by the Balanced 
Budget Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33). As a result, the bill 
would have no budgetary effect relative to the baseline. 
Relative to current law, CBO estimates that enacting this bill 
would increase spending for these programs by about $349 
million in 2001 and $465 million a year thereafter. This 
estimate assumes that the COLA effective on December 1, 2000, 
would be 2.4 percent.
    This bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
    On July 21, 2000, CBO prepared a cost estimate for H.R. 
4850 as ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs. Section 101 of H.R. 4850 would provide the same COLA 
as this bill would. The estimated costs of this bill and 
section 101 of H.R. 4850 are the same.
    The estimate was prepared by Michelle Patterson, who can be 
reached at 226-2840. It was approved by Robert A. Sunshine, 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                      regulatory impact statement

    In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs has made an evaluation of the regulatory impact that 
would be incurred in carrying out the Committee bill. The 
Committee finds that the Committee bill would not entail any 
regulation of individuals or businesses or result in any impact 
on the personal privacy of any individuals and that the 
paperwork resulting from enactment would be minimal.

                 tabulation of votes cast in committee

    In compliance with paragraph 7 of rule XXVI of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, the following is a tabulation of votes 
cast in person or by proxy by members of the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs at its July 27, 2000, meeting. On that date, 
the Committee, by unanimous voice vote, ordered an original 
bill to increase, effective as of December 1, 2000, 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 
reported favorably to the Senate.

                             agency report

    On July 20, 2000, the Honorable Joseph Thompson, Under 
Secretary for Benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs, 
appeared before the Committee and submitted testimony on, among 
other things, a draft bill to increase, effective as of 
December 1, 2000, 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. Excerpts from this statement are reprinted below:

Statement of Joseph Thompson, Under Secretary for Benefits, Department 
                          of Veterans Affairs


                              introduction


    Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, thank you for 
the opportunity to testify today on the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (sic) disability claims processing. I am pleased to be 
here with you to provide a status report on the adjudication of 
these claims and to discuss the efforts the Department has made 
to improve claims processing.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



                              legislation


    Mr. Chairman, you have also asked that we comment on 
several bills, including S. 1810, S. 2264, S. 2544, S. 2637, S. 
2827, and 3 draft bills which your staff provided late last 
week. In view of the short amount of time available for the 
formulation of this testimony, we are unable to present the 
Department's views with respect to certain provisions of the 
bills and draft proposals. However, we will be pleased to 
provide our formal written views concerning them at a later 
date once the necessary executive branch coordination is 
completed.
Draft Bill [0:/ARM1/ARM00.242--June 16, 2000]--Compensation Cost-of-
        Living Adjustment
    Mr. Chairman, this draft proposal is perhaps the most 
important matter on today's agenda. It would direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase administratively the 
rates of compensation for service-disabled veterans and of 
dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for the survivors 
of veterans whose deaths are service related, effective 
December 1, 2000. On February 15, 2000, the Secretary 
transmitted to Congress similar draft legislation proposing a 
cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for compensation and DIC 
recipients at the same rate of increase as the COLA that will 
be provided under current law to veterans' pension and Social 
Security recipients. We currently estimate that this year's 
Social Security adjustment will be 2.5 percent. We believe this 
proposed COLA is necessary and appropriate in order to protect 
the affected benefits from the eroding effects of inflation. 
Therefore, we strongly support this proposal.
    We estimate enactment of the proposed COLA would cost $345 
million during fiscal year (FY) 2001 and $6.3 billion over the 
period FYs 2001-2005. However, this increase is already assumed 
in the baseline as required by the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA); therefore, the proposal 
would have a zero pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) impact.
    Mr. Chairman, I would also like to take this opportunity to 
urge your favorable consideration of another Administration 
proposal. Our draft legislative proposal of February 15 also 
included a provision to repeal a provision of the Balanced 
Budget Act of 1997 that would require VA to defer until October 
2, 2000, making veterans-benefit payments which would otherwise 
be delivered by mail or transmitted for credit to the payee's 
account by Friday, September 29, 2000. We strongly believe that 
veterans should not be financially burdened by this provision 
and ask that you take action to correct this situation. This 
proposal is subject to the PAYGO requirements of the OBRA. The 
PAYGO effect will be an increase in outlays of $1.8 billion in 
FY 2000, with a corresponding decrease in FY 2001.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


    changes in existing law made by the committee bill, as reported

    Since the Committee bill would not repeal or amend any 
provisions of current law, this report does not contain the 
material described in clauses (a) and (b) of paragraph 12 of 
Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

                                
