Raising the Cost-of-Living Compensation Rates for Veterans and Their Survivors (H.R. 6168)

What is H.R. 6168?

(Updated January 5, 2021)

This bill was enacted on October 20, 2020

This bill — the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2020 — would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase the rates of compensation for several areas of veterans’ living expenses. As of December 1, 2020, the rates of veterans’ disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency & indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children would be increased. Each of these increases would be based on the percentage used to increase Social Security benefits.

Argument in favor

While it doesn’t establish automatic cost-of-living increases, this bipartisan bill does provide a boost to the benefits received by veterans and their families for another year.

Argument opposed

There’s no need to increase cost-of-living adjustments for veterans’ benefits based on the percentage used to boost Social Security benefits.

Impact

Veterans and their survivors; and the VA.

Cost of H.R. 6168

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would lead to a 2.5% COLA being used, which would increase spending by $2.2 billion in FY2021.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA) introduced this bill to increase veterans’ compensation and other benefits in line with the cost-of-living adjustment used for Social Security benefits:

“Veterans across my district, and the nation, depend on these earned benefits, so it is my duty to ensure that the increasing costs of living are taken into account each year.”

This bill’s original cosponsor, Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), has sponsored or cosponsored the annual veterans' COLA bill for the last several years.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA) Press Release

• CBO Cost Estimate

• Sponsoring Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) Press Release (115th Congress)

• Military Benefits (Context)