H.R. 6027: To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an annual increase 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.

This bill proposes amendments to Title 38 of the United States Code regarding the compensation provided to veterans with service-connected disabilities and to the survivors of certain disabled veterans. The key provisions of the bill are as follows:

Annual Compensation Increases

The bill mandates an annual increase in several types of compensation effective December 1 of each year. These increases will be applied to the dollar amounts currently in effect on November 30 of that year.

Types of Compensation Affected

The specific types of compensation that would receive annual increases include:

• Wartime Disability Compensation: This includes the compensation amounts defined under section 1114 of Title 38.
• Additional Compensation for Dependents: This refers to amounts specified under section 1115(1).
• Clothing Allowance: The amount specified under section 1162.
• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: This includes payments to surviving spouses as outlined in subsections (a) through (d) of section 1311.
• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Children: This includes amounts defined under sections 1313(a) and 1314.

Adjustment Based on Social Security

The increase in compensation amounts will be calculated based on the same percentage as any increase in benefit amounts under Title II of the Social Security Act, effective December 1 of that year. This is meant to ensure that veterans' and survivors' compensation keeps pace with general cost-of-living adjustments determined for Social Security beneficiaries.

Publication of Adjusted Rates

Each year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to publish the adjusted compensation amounts in the Federal Register by a certain deadline to ensure transparency and accessibility.

Effective Date

The provisions of this bill will become effective 180 days after its enactment, providing a transitional period to implement the changes.

Clerical Amendments

The bill also includes clerical amendments to the existing legal text to insert references to the new section related to annual increases in compensation.

Relevant Companies

None found