To amend title 10, United States Code, to specify the minimum rank requirement for officer serving as Chief of the Navy Dental Corps to correspond to Army and Air Force requirements for the heads of their dental corps.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 407) to increase, effective as of December 1, 2009, 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.

Mr. Speaker, this is the last week before the July 4 break, and we have a series of bills to suitably commemorate July 4 with bills that will really aid our veterans who have made July 4 possible.

I rise in support of the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009, S. 407, which is a companion to the House bill, H.R. 1533, which was introduced by one of our new members on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and sure to be one of our body's most productive members, Mrs. Kirkpatrick of Arizona. I thank the gentlelady for her leadership on this important bill.

The House leadership demonstrated its commitment to our Nation's veterans, their families, and their survivors by getting this bill to the floor, after reporting from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and by getting this companion bill, sponsored by Senator Akaka, to the floor shortly after receipt in the House.

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

This disability COLA would become effective on December 1 of this year 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 we all agree was direly needed, as the financial crush of the recession closed in on many of our disabled veterans' households.

While it is likely to be a lesser percentage of an increase this year, the measure will now move to the President's desk for his signature. Enactment ensures that veterans get a matching increase to the Social Security COLA on that date.

Mr. Speaker, this bill will benefit each of the nearly 3 million disabled veterans and their survivors, whether they are from the World War I era through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We would be derelict in our duty if we failed to guarantee that those who sacrificed so much for this country receive benefits and services that keep pace with their needs. We fund the war; let's make sure that we fund the warrior and his or her families and their survivors.

I urge my colleagues to support passage of the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, S. 407, without delay.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. 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 S. 407.

I urge my colleagues to unanimously support S. 407.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 407; with all good intended purpose, this bill will increase the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and rates of dependency indemnity compensation, DIC, for the survivors of certain disabled veterans. It will also increase of the Cost of Living Allowance, COLA. At this time, I would like to thank my good friend Senator Daniel Akaka, Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and majority ranking members for introducing this bill as well as the Committee Minority Member Senator Richard Burr who is the original cosponsor, so are Committee Members John D. Rockefeller IV, Patty Murray, Bernard Sanders, Sherrod Brown, Jim Webb, Jon Tester, Mark Begich, Roland Burris, Arlen Specter, Johnny Isakson, Roger F. Wicker, Mike Johanns, Lindsey Graham, Senators Frank R. Lautenberg, Blanche Lincoln, and Olympia J. Snowe.

Mr. Speaker, this very important legislation could not have come at a time then it is most critical to address the needs of service-connected disabled veterans and survivors during these challenging economic times in our country. The testimonies offered by Bradley G. Mayes, Director, Compensation and Pension Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veteran Affairs, etc., in the April 29, 2009 Committee hearing have further substantiated this measure and all voted in favor without dissent.

This measure will also mandate an increase in the Cost of Living Allowance, COLA, for our disabled veterans and survivors.

Mr. Speaker, it is very important that we take care of our veterans. According to VA, as set forth in its fiscal year 2010 budget, the department will provide disability compensation to 3,154,217 veterans with service-connected disabilities in fiscal year 2010. I am pleased with the undivided attention we give to this legislation which underscores how much we appreciate our veterans' selfless military service to protect our country and the freedom and liberty we enjoy.

Again, I thank Senator Daniel Akaka and his Veterans Committee for this legislation and strongly urge my colleagues for their full support.

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

I agree with the chairman in the sense that this is the perfect time of the year to bring these bills forward. These are excellent bills that will help our veterans, and I rise in strong support of S. 407, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Act of 2009.

I would like to thank my House colleagues, Mr. Hall of New York, chairman of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), the ranking Republican on the subcommittee, as well as the House bill's sponsor, Mrs. Kirkpatrick of Arizona, for their leadership on H.R. 1533 which passed on March 30, 2009.

Mr. Speaker, S. 407 would increase effective as of December 1, 2009, 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. The COLA adjustment includes veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, clothing allowance dependency, and indemnity compensation to surviving spouses and children.

Mr. 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 the bill.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Chairman John Hall and Ranking Member Doug Lamborn on these issues. I would also like to thank Committee Chairman Bob Filner and Ranking Member Steve Buyer for moving this bill forward for consideration.

I urge my colleagues to support S. 407 and yield back the balance of my time.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.