[109th Congress Public Law 361]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


[DOCID: f:publ361.109]

[[Page 120 STAT. 2062]]

Public Law 109-361
109th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To increase, effective as of December 1, 2006, 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. <<NOTE: Oct. 16, 2006 -  [S. 2562]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress <<NOTE: Veterans' Compensation 
Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2006.>> assembled,

SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 38 USC 101 note.>> SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living 
Adjustment Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 38 USC 1114 note.>> INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY 
            COMPENSATION AND DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.

    (a) Rate Adjustment.--Effective on December 1, 2006, the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall increase, in accordance with subsection (c), 
the dollar amounts in effect on November 30, 2006, 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 sections 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.--
            (1) Percentage.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 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, 2006, as a result 
        of a determination under section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        415(i)).
            (2) Rounding.--Each dollar amount increased under paragraph 
        (1), if not a whole dollar amount, shall be rounded to the next 
        lower whole dollar amount.

[[Page 120 STAT. 2063]]

    (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.

SEC. 3. <<NOTE: Federal Register, publication. 38 USC 1114 
            note.>> PUBLICATION OF ADJUSTED RATES.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall publish in the Federal 
Register the amounts specified in section 2(b), as increased under that 
section, 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 2007.

SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.

    Section 1311 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
redesignating the second subsection (e) (as added by section 301(a) of 
the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-454; 118 
Stat. 3610)) as subsection (f).

    Approved October 16, 2006.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 2562 (H.R. 4843):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 109-521 accompanying H.R. 4843 (Comm. on Veterans' 
Affairs).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 109-296 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 152 (2006):
            Sept. 21, considered and passed Senate.
            Sept. 29, considered and passed House.

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