Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011

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

I would like to thank the chairman, the gentleman from Minnesota, for bringing this bill and the others to the floor today. It's appropriate, as we are approaching Memorial Day, that we are working to fight for our veterans. But I think that all of us who get the opportunity to work in that VA Committee know that the chairman's focus on veterans is every day of the year, not just Memorial Day, and this is certainly a good one.

I rise in wholehearted support of the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of- Living Act of 2011, as amended. While we don't control the COLA, the chairman and everyone in the committee understood how important it was to get this forward, get there with Social Security when that's enacted. It is important that these payments are made on time. This Nation has a solemn and moral responsibility to our veterans, and this is just one more way to make sure that we do what's right.

I also would like to thank the chairman for including Mr. Braley's bill, the Andrew Connolly Act. It's really important. I think all of us who heard the testimony of Mr. Connolly and his family--a true American hero, someone who is doing everything right--want to make sure that we share that pain with him and his family for the costs that he has given going to war.

That grant is intended to assist eligible veterans to adapt a family member's home to provide a barrier-free living environment, to make sure that they have the highest level of independent living as possible. And so, again, I thank you for that.

I would, if I could, for just a moment, Mr. Chairman, just put in a slight plug, if I may, for a bill I'd like to see moved with this: H.R. 1025, the bill recognizing our reservists for their service and then being able to call themselves ``veterans.'' And I want to thank the majority and minority staff working on that; keep moving that in the future if at all possible. But your unwavering support of this piece of legislation, this bill, has been absolutely necessary. We worked on it together in committee the way it should be, and your leadership in bringing it to the floor is certainly appreciated.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to also thank the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey, the chairman of the subcommittee. Thank you for your work on this. You're absolutely right. This is one that's supported; it is the work for our veterans. Together, you did a fine job of moving this through, Mr. Chairman. And we are certainly proud to support it.

I'm sorry, Mr. Miller. I tried to move you north from Florida. I just had Minnesota on my mind. This time of year, it's not bad, though.

Thank you for your work on this. It's a great bill.

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

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

Like the chair, I rise in support of passage of this COLA act, S. 894, sponsored by my good friend, Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. And I'm proud to work closely with her in my role as the ranking member of the House committee. I thank the leadership of this body for bringing this uncluttered version of the veterans' COLA bill to the floor, which passed in the Senate last month, so that we may pass it without delay and get it to the President's desk.

The veterans' COLA increase will be 3.6 percent for 2012, a figure tied directly to the Social Security COLA whose beneficiaries will also see the same increase in their payments.

As it has since 1976, Congress, through the passage of the Veterans' Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, directs the Secretary of the VA to increase the rates of basic compensation for disabled veterans and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation, what we call DIC, to their survivors and dependents, along with other benefits, in order to keep pace with the rate of inflation. This bill will enable disabled veterans, their families, and their survivors from World War I through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Many of the over 3.5 million veterans who receive disability compensation benefits depend upon these 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, their families, and survivors would likely see the value of their hard- earned benefits slowly erode.

Mr. Speaker, I think we would be derelict in our duty if we failed to guarantee that those who sacrificed so much for this country are able to receive benefits and services that keep pace with their needs and inflation.

We funded the war; let's fund the warrior and his or her family and survivors. Let's ensure that their benefits make ends meet at the end of the month. I urge my colleagues to support this COLA bill, and I thank Senator Murray for sponsoring this important measure.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown).

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 894) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase, effective December 1, 2011, in 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, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of Senate bill 894, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011. This is critically important legislation that authorizes a cost-of-living increase for our veterans' disability compensation, veterans' clothing allowance payments, and other compensation for survivors of veterans who die as a result of service to our country. The 3.6 percent increase in benefit amounts this bill would authorize is tied directly to the consumer price index, which also controls the cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security beneficiaries.

I want to thank the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee leadership, Senators Murray and Burr, for working with me and our ranking member, Mr. Filner, to get a COLA bill to the President's desk before Veterans Day.

I urge all my colleagues to support Senate bill 894, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield such time as he may consume to the chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Runyan).

I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Tennessee, Dr. Roe.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to a new member of the committee, a great advocate for veterans in his time here in Congress, the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Guinta).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Nugent), a member of the Florida delegation who has three sons wearing the uniform of this country, two sons currently serving in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material they may have on Senate bill 894.

Mr. Speaker, I once again encourage all my colleagues to support Senate bill 894, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1407) to increase, effective as of December 1, 2011, 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, as amended.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 1407, as amended, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011.

This is an annual bill that authorizes a cost-of-living increase in veterans' disability compensation, veterans' clothing allowance, and dependency and indemnity compensation for veterans' survivors. This increase is tied to the increase in the cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security beneficiaries. I'm also glad that the committee was able to include H.R. 1671, the Andrew Connolly Veterans' Housing Act, to the end of this bill at the full committee markup.

This amendment was introduced by the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Braley). It provides a 5-year extension for the VA to provide specially adapted housing assistance to individuals residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member. Unless it is extended, this program will expire on September 30 of this year.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1407, as amended.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for his kind words. I look forward to working with him on his issues and other bills that will come before our committee in the future.

At this time, Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Runyan).

I would invite my good friend to visit Florida's great northwest sometime in the winter, where thousands of people live like millions wish they could. So you're welcome any time.

General Leave

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 1407, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I once again urge all Members to support H.R. 1407, as amended.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 894, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011. S. 894 is the companion bill to H.R. 1407, which I introduced in April, which passed this Chamber, as amended, on May 23 by voice vote. S. 894 provides a cost-of-living adjustment equal to the cost-of-living adjustment being provided this year to Social Security recipients for veterans' disability compensation, veterans' clothing allowance, and compensation for veterans' survivors.

This is an annual bipartisan bill which has been scored by the CBO as having no additional budgetary impact. It is crucial to ensuring that benefits for disabled veterans and their families are sufficient to meet their needs. As chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, and the Member of Congress representing the district in New Jersey with the largest number of disabled veterans, I have heard from many veterans back home and in Washington about the importance of this needed legislation.

This cost-of-living adjustment is tied to an increase in the consumer price index, which has not increased in the last 2 years. S. 894's increase in the COLA for 2012 reflects rising inflation rates in our volatile economy and is necessary to ensure the well-being of America's returning veterans who have honorably served our country and protected our rights and freedoms.

I am pleased this bill is the first piece of legislation I had the honor of introducing as a Member of this Congress, and I can think of no greater priority or commitment that our country owes than to those who have bravely worn the uniform and defended all that we hold dear as a nation.

I want to thank Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Filner for bringing this companion bill to the floor quickly. I would also like to thank Speaker Boehner for his support in bringing this bill to a swift vote. I urge all Members to support S. 894.