Fair COLA for Seniors Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1553 To provide for cost-of-living increases for certain Federal benefits programs based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for the elderly. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 6, 2019 Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. POCAN, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. DEUTCH, Ms. MCCOL- LUM, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. MCNERNEY, and Ms. WILD) introduced the fol- lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs, Oversight and Reform, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To provide for cost-of-living increases for certain Federal benefits programs based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for the elderly. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fair COLA for Seniors 4 Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:14 Mar 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1553.IH H1553 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1553 IH SEC. 2. COST-OF-LIVING INCREASES FOR CERTAIN FED- 1 ERAL BENEFITS PROGRAMS BASED ON IN- 2 CREASES IN THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX 3 FOR THE ELDERLY. 4 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever 5 there is an increase in the Consumer Price Index for the 6 elderly, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 7 dollar amounts in effect for the payment of the following 8 benefits, as such amounts were in effect immediately be- 9 fore the increase in the Consumer Price Index for the el- 10 derly, shall be increased by the same percentage as such 11 price index was increased: 12 (1) An annuity under the Civil Service Retire- 13 ment System or the Federal Employees Retirement 14 System. 15 (2) Department of Veterans Affairs wartime 16 disability compensation under section 1114 of title 17 38, United States Code. 18 (3) Department of Veterans Affairs additional 19 compensation for dependents under section 1115(1) 20 of such title. 21 (4) The Department of Veterans Affairs cloth- 22 ing allowance under section 1162 of such title. 23 (5) Department of Veterans Affairs dependency 24 and indemnity compensation to surviving spouse 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:14 Mar 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1553.IH H1553 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1553 IH under subsections (a) through (d) of section 1311 of 1 such title. 2 (6) Department of Veterans Affairs dependency 3 and indemnity compensation to children under sec- 4 tions 1313(a) and 1314 of such title. 5 (7) Military retirement and survivor benefit 6 programs, as defined in section 1461(b) of title 10, 7 United States Code. 8 (8) Any old-age, survivors, or disability insur- 9 ance benefit under title II of the Social Security Act. 10 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:14 Mar 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1553.IH H1553 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS