To increase, effective as of December 1, 2015, 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 measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on July 16, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2015
TITLE I--COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT
(Sec. 101) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase, as of November 30, 2015, the rates of:
Each such increase shall be the same percentage as the benefits increase provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act, as of December 1, 2015.
(Sec. 102) The VA shall publish such adjusted rates in the Federal Register.
TITLE II--UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS
(Sec. 201) The temporary expansion of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is extended till January 1, 2020.
(Sec. 202) Specified recall requirements for retired judges are amended. A recall-eligible judge may request a recall for a period of service of at least 90 days (or the equivalent).
(Sec. 203) A regular active service judge or a retired judge shall be treated as an employee for government life insurance purposes.
(Sec. 204) Regular service judges, retired recall-eligible judges, and certain retired but not recall-eligible judges may purchase in three-month increments up to an additional year of service credit for each year of federal judicial service completed.
(Sec. 205) The salary of Court judges is set at the rate applicable to federal appellate court judges. (Their salary is currently set at the rate applicable to federal district court judges.)
(Sec. 206) The chief judge of the Court, in addition to existing qualifications, must not be older than 64 and have at least 3 years remaining in term of office as a judge of the Court in regular active service.
TITLE III--IMPROVEMENT OF CLAIMS PROCESSING
(Sec. 301) In the case of a disability compensation claim for two or more disabilities for which the VA, before completing the full adjudication, makes a decision with respect to a disability that would result in the payment of monetary benefits to the claimant, the VA shall make interim payments to the claimant based on such disability.
Upon completion of the adjudication of all the disability claims the VA will pay the full amount of accrued benefits, less the amount of the interim payments that the claimant has already received.
(Sec. 302) The VA shall: (1) establish a minimum two-year training program for newly hired claims processors, and (2) identify successful claims processors to assist in such training.
(Sec. 303) The VA shall: (1) inform each person who submits a claim for benefits that he or she is eligible to receive up to an extra year of benefits payments upon the filing of a fully developed claim; and (2) post at each VA Regional Office, claims-intake facility, and on its website information regarding the average processing time of claims and the percentage of submitted claims for which benefits are awarded.
TITLE IV--OTHER MATTERS
(Sec. 401) The VA shall pay any accrued benefits due and unpaid, as of a veteran's date of death, to the veteran's estate unless the estate will escheat.
(Sec. 402) The President shall issue an annual proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe two minutes of silence on Veterans Day in honor of the service and sacrifice of veterans throughout the history of the nation.
Held at the desk.
Became Public Law No: 114-197.
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-707.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 574.
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 114-206.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 114-206.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 155.
Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5513-5517)
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DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 675.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5545)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 409 - 0 (Roll no. 472).(text: CR 7/27/2015 H5513-5515)
Roll Call #472 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 409 - 0 (Roll no. 472). (text: CR 7/27/2015 H5513-5515)
Roll Call #472 (House)The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.