Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1513) to increase, effective as of December 1, 2009, the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of passage of the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009, H.R. 1513, which was introduced by one of the newer members of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and sure to be one of our body's most dynamic Members, Mrs. Kirkpatrick from Arizona. And I thank you for your leadership on the bill.

I also want to thank the ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Mr. Buyer, who has been supportive of this noncontroversial bill and helped with its unanimous passage from our committee to allow consideration by the full House. The fact that we were able to get this bill to the floor within nearly a month of its introduction shows the House leadership's commitment to our Nation's veterans, their families, and their survivors.

Like it has done since 1976, Congress, through the passage of this measure, would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the rates of basic compensation for disabled veterans and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation, the DIC, to their survivors and dependents, along with other benefits in order to keep pace with the rising cost of living.

The disability COLA would become effective December 1, 2009, and will be equal to that provided on an annual basis to Social Security recipients. Last year, the COLA was set at 5.8 percent, an increase direly needed, as the financial crush of the recession from the previous administration closed in on many of our disabled veterans' households.

Madam Speaker, this bill will benefit each disabled veteran and their survivors from the World War I era through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Many of the nearly 3 million veterans who receive these benefits depend upon these tax-free payments, not only to provide for their own basic needs, but for those of their spouses, children and parents as well. Without an annual COLA increase, these veterans and their families would see the value of their hard-earned benefits slowly erode. We would be derelict in our duty if we failed to guarantee that those who sacrifice so much for our country receive benefits and services that keep pace with their needs.

We fund the war. Let's fund the warrior and his family and survivors by ensuring that their benefits keep pace with their living expenses. Let's ensure that their benefits make ends meet at the end of the month.

Madam Speaker, as we approach our country's 141st Memorial Day commemoration, I ask my colleagues to support this bill and send a clear message to support our troops. ``You will be taken care of when you return. We will not forget your sacrifice.''

Just like our military men and women did not hesitate to offer to lay down their lives to defend our freedom and the way of life that we cherish, we will not hesitate to defend the funds they need to support themselves and their families.

I urge my colleagues to support passage of the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009, H.R. 1513, without delay. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1513.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1513.

Madam Speaker, I too want to thank my fellow freshman colleague, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) for his help today, as well as Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer for the wonderful work we've been able to do this year.

Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to unanimously support H.R. 1513.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I stand in support of our veterans and in support of H.R. 1513, the Veterans' Compensation Cost- of-Living Adjustment Act by my colleague from Arizona, Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, and the Members of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Congress annually reviews veterans' service-related disability compensation, and other compensation programs for surviving spouses and dependent children to ensure that such benefits provide reasonable and adequate compensation. This year, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that it will provide disability compensation to just over three million veterans with service-related disabilities.

Importantly, H.R. 1513 would increase the amounts paid to veterans for disability compensation and to their survivors for dependency and other compensation by the same cost-of-living adjustment payable to Social Security recipients. The increase would take effect on December 1, 2009.

We, as Members of Congress, must stand together to support our veterans and their families. Our nation has a proud legacy of appreciation and commitment to the men and women who have worn the uniform in defense of our country. We must be united in seeing that every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine is welcomed back with all the care and compassion this grateful nation can bestow to them and to their supportive families.

I firmly believe that we should celebrate our veterans after every conflict, and I remain committed, as a Member of Congress, to both more than 32,000 veterans living in my Congressional district alone. I hope we will all take the time to show appreciation to those who have answered the call to duty. As the former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill famously stated, ``Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.''

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting our troops of yesteryear and of today, as well as their families, by providing for this cost-of-living increase.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1513, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009.

I would like to thank my colleagues, Mr. Hall of New York and chairman of the Disabilities Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, and Mr. Lamborn of Colorado, the ranking member of the subcommittee, as well as the bill's sponsor, Mrs. Kirkpatrick of Arizona, for their leadership on this bill.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 1513 would increase, effective as of December 1, 2009, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and the rates of dependents and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans. The COLA adjustments include veterans disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, clothing allowance, and dependents and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.

Madam Speaker, this is an important annual authorization which provides much-needed assistance to our Nation's veterans, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I recognize Congresswoman Brown-Waite for as much time as she may consume.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Again, I'd like to thank Chairman Filner, Ranking Member Buyer, Subcommittee Chairman Hall and ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Lamborn, for their leadership in bringing this much-needed legislation to the

floor. And I urge my colleagues to support it.

And I'd like to thank the gentlelady from Illinois (Mrs. Halvorson) for her help today. This is a great piece of legislation, and I urge tonight we vote unanimously for this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

General Leave

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1513, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009. Previously, I served on the Veterans' Committee for 6 years, and I'm very glad to see Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer doing this fine work this year, as they did in the 2 years that I was on the last time.

While all veterans made sacrifices for our Nation, those men and women who were disabled during their service must receive proper benefits in order to meet their care. Disabled veterans have given their blood, sweat and tears on battlefields from Germany to Japan, from Korea to Vietnam, from Iraq to Afghanistan.

In this time of economic turmoil, it is vital that Congress preserve the cost-of-living adjustment to help disabled veterans. Indeed, with rising prices and falling home values, it's more important than ever that the needs of veterans be adequately funded.

The cost-of-living adjustment means that veterans will be better armed with the resources that they need to survive in our communities.

As President Lincoln said in his second inaugural address, government's obligation is, and I quote, ``to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and orphan.'' It is our sacred obligation to care for those injured while in the service.

I thank my colleague from Arizona for introducing this bill. And I urge all of my colleagues to support its passage.

Madam Speaker, I thank the Speaker for allowing me the opportunity to address the bill I sponsored--H.R. 1513, ``The Veterans'' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009.''

Many of my constituents in Greater Arizona are hurting, and the Nation's economy, while showing some signs of improvements, still has a long road to a full recovery.

No one feels this pressure or deserves the support of a grateful Nation more than our disabled Veterans.

Our Nation's veterans have made costly sacrifices to ensure the safety of America's families. For that reason, our country provides both compensation payments to service-disabled Veterans and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits to the survivors of servicemembers who die in service to our Nation.

However, without this bill, these payments would not keep up with rising prices for everyday items like gas and groceries.

That's why, on behalf of the over 3 million veterans nationally-- including 65,000 in my home state of Arizona--who are currently receiving disability compensation, I am asking you to join me in support of this bill.

This bill keeps the promise to our Nation's veterans to honor the sacrifice that these brave men and women have endured while serving our country in uniform.