Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7846, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022.

With inflation and rising costs impacting Americans across the country, we must continue to ensure that the needs of our disabled veterans and their families are being met.

For the past 4 years, I have been proud to introduce and pass bipartisan cost-of-living adjustments to increase compensation and benefits for our disabled veterans. As chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee and author of this bipartisan legislation, I am, once again, honored to present this year's annual veterans' cost-of-living adjustment legislation to the floor.

The Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022 would, once again, recognize that VA-related compensation requires adjustment in the same way that Social Security benefits are updated to meet the cost-of-living realities. This includes disability compensation, clothing allowance, and dependency and indemnity compensation payments.

Our veterans service organizations understand the realities that many of

our veterans and military families face to make ends meet and the importance of this cost-of-living adjustment. As the Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW, puts it: ``This would provide a guarantee to veterans and survivors that their payments will always be aligned to counteract inflation.''

In our current economic climate, veterans in my district and across the country have many of the same economic concerns as every one of us. Veterans are not immune from concerns about putting food on the table and their ability to adequately provide for a comfortable and sustainable life for themselves and their families.

As a veteran myself, I understand firsthand the concerns faced by our Active Duty servicemembers and our veterans as they balance professional responsibilities with the necessities of home life. Every bit helps, and this is especially true for those who have lost a loved one in the course of their service or as a result of a service- connected injury or illness.

Dependency and indemnity compensation provided at a sustainable rate ensures economic fluctuations are not an additional burden for a survivor already managing difficult days without their veteran by their side.

With the high costs of disability care, childcare, and other costs, it is vital that we continue to provide benefits that meet the financial demands faced by veterans and their families on a day-to-day basis.

This cost-of-living increase provided by my legislation would bolster beneficiaries against today's price fluctuations and provides relief to our disabled veterans and many military families.

The COLA Act of 2022 is recognition of the need to ensure that those receiving VA compensation are always supported. This is responsible, commonsense, bipartisan legislation and proof of the good that can come from both parties working together. Our veterans and their families deserve no less.

I thank Ranking Member Nehls for being a cosponsor of this year's legislation and also full committee Ranking Member Bost, who worked with me for 2 years on this legislation and in previous years, as well. I thank Chairman Takano for his reliable support and leadership for our veterans, their families, and adequate disability compensation.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage full support of H.R. 7846.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7846) to increase, effective as of December 1, 2022, 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 ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 7846.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7846, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022.

This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase the amounts payable for wartime disability compensation, compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.

Specifically, VA would be required to increase benefit amounts by the same percentage as the cost-of-living increase in benefits for Social Security recipients.

To me, the cost-of-living adjustment to veterans' compensation is more than just a rate adjustment tied to inflation. It is a quality-of- life guarantee for veterans and their families.

This annual COLA is not only a source of personal comfort for former servicemembers as they age; it assures that their survivors will not see a decline in earned benefits should the economy fluctuate and costs rise once their beloved veteran is no longer with us. I know this because veterans and their family members from all over the country relay these same exact sentiments to me.

The COLA is the continued recognition by a grateful nation of the service and sacrifice of those who have stepped up to serve. This gesture of appreciation is one of the most rewarding responsibilities of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. As chairman, I am honored to be leading this effort to express our thanks.

I would like to recognize the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs for, once again, originating this legislation for floor consideration today, and I thank Chair Luria and Ranking Member Nehls for their sponsorship and steadfast assistance to our vets.

I am pleased we are voting on this bill early to alleviate any doubt that this adjustment will be in place come December.

Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support H.R. 7846, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Luria). My good friend is the chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7846, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I was participating in a Presidential Delegation to the Republic of Kenya and absent during the time of votes. Had I been present, I would have voted:

YEA on Roll Call No. 424, H. Res. 1339, on Ordering the Previous Question;

YEA on Roll Call No. 425, H. Res. 1339, on Agreeing to the Resolution;

YEA on Roll Call No. 426, Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass Certain Bills (H.R. 1468, S. 4205, H.R. 7939, H.R. 7846, H.R. 7735, H.R. 5916, H.R. 8260, and H.R. 5865);

YEA on Roll Call No. 427, H.R. 884, the National Aviation Preparedness Plan Act;

YEA on Roll Call No. 428, H.R. 5774, the Expediting Disaster Recovery Act;

YEA on Roll Call No. 429, S. 2293, the Crew Act; and

YEA on Roll Call No. 430, S. 442, the BRIGHT Act.

Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

Baird (Bucshon)

Bass (Correa)

Bush (Bowman)

Cardenas (Correa)

Conway (Valadao)

DeSaulnier (Beyer)

Dingell (Kuster)

Fallon (Nehls)

Gaetz (Cawthorn)

Higgins (NY) (Pallone)

Johnson (TX) (Jeffries)

Jones (Beyer)

Kirkpatrick (Pallone)

Lawrence (Beatty)

Lawson (FL) (Evans)

Levin (MI) (Correa)

McEachin (Beyer)

Miller (WV)

(Kim (CA))

Moore (WI) (Beyer)

Newman (Beyer)

Payne (Pallone)

Pingree (Kuster)

Rice (NY) (Deutch)

Schiff (Deutch)

Schrader (Correa)

Scott (VA) (Beyer)

Scott, Austin (Cammack)

Stansbury (Pallone)

Stevens (Kuster)

Tlaib (Bowman)

Upton (Katko)

Wexton (Beyer)

Mr. Speaker, I rise and add my voice to support H.R. 7846. I thank Ranking Member Bost, Chairman Takano, and especially Ranking Member Nehls on this subcommittee for his great work on it.

I would also like to add my voice in support of H.R. 7939. I am honored to speak today in support of our military servicemembers and their families.

America's warriors are always on the move, and their spouses often change duty stations every 2 to 3 years in order to keep their families together and remain close in supporting their servicemembers.

Requiring the spouses of servicemembers to operate under entirely arbitrary tax standards prioritizes bureaucracy over bravery and undermines the support we provide our servicemen and -women. That is why I am deeply grateful for the support of many of my colleagues who joined me in introducing the important language of the Military Spouse Tax Act into H.R. 7939, the Student Veteran Emergency Relief Act, ensuring that military spouses will be able to keep their home domicile for State income tax purposes if they so choose.

This policy change provides much-needed financial stability to the families of those risking their lives in defense of our lives and liberties.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7846, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022. I thank Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Chair Luria and Ranking Member Nehls for introducing this bill.

It would increase the rate of disability compensation and DIC compensation for survivors to keep up with the steep rise in the cost of living. This legislation is absolutely vital in the face of rampant inflation, a potential recession, and a high cost of living under the Biden administration.

We must ensure that our veterans are able to pay their bills and put food on the table for their families. If we do not act, our veterans and their families will bear the burden of the careless financial actions of this administration.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to offer my support today, and I hope my colleagues will do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Cawthorn).

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.