What This Bill Does
This bill increases payment amounts for veterans with service-connected disabilities and their survivors, effective December 1, 2023. The payment increases will match the same percentage increase used for Social Security benefits. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must publish the new payment amounts in the Federal Register.
Who It Affects
- Veterans with service-connected disabilities receiving disability compensation
- Survivors of disabled veterans receiving dependency and indemnity compensation (a monthly payment to family members of deceased or severely disabled veterans)
- Surviving spouses of disabled veterans
- Children of disabled veterans
- Veterans receiving clothing allowances
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs increases all disability compensation dollar amounts by the same percentage as Social Security benefits increase (Sec. 2(a) and 2(c))
- The increases apply to wartime disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, clothing allowances, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children (Sec. 2(b))
- The Secretary must publish all adjusted payment amounts in the Federal Register by the same deadline required for publishing Social Security adjustments (Sec. 3)
- The Secretary may administratively adjust disability compensation rates for certain veterans under an earlier law to match these increases (Sec. 2(d))
What Changes
All veteran disability payments and survivor benefits increase by the same percentage as Social Security benefits increase for 2023. Veterans and survivors will receive higher monthly payments starting December 1, 2023.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
Effective Date
December 1, 2023
137 STAT. 50
PUBLIC LAW 118–6—JUNE 14, 2023
Public Law 118–6
118th Congress
An Act
To increase, effective as of December 1, 2023, 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 for other purposes.
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 2023’’ or the ‘‘Veterans’ COLA Act
of 2023’’.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND
DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.
(a) RATE ADJUSTMENT.—Effective on December 1, 2023, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall increase, in accordance with
subsection (c), the dollar amounts in effect on November 30, 2023,
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 sec-
tion 1162 of such title.
(4) DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION TO SUR-
VIVING SPOUSE.—Each of the dollar amounts under subsections
(a) through (d) of section 1311 of such title.
(5) DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION TO CHIL-
DREN.—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 percent-
age 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, 2023, 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 per-
sons under section 10 of Public Law 85–857 (72 Stat. 1263) who
38 USC 1114
note.
38 USC 1114
note.
38 USC 101 note.
Veterans’
Compensation
Cost-of-Living
Adjustment
Act of 2023.
June 14, 2023
[S. 777]
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137 STAT. 51
PUBLIC LAW 118–6—JUNE 14, 2023
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 777:
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 169 (2023):
Mar. 30, considered and passed Senate.
May 22, considered and passed House.
Æ
have not received compensation under chapter 11 of title 38, United
States Code.
SEC. 3. 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 determina-
tion made under section 215(i) of such Act during fiscal year 2024.
Approved June 14, 2023.
Federal Register,
publication.
38 USC 1114
note.
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