[104th Congress Public Law 263]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


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[DOCID: f:publ263.104]


[[Page 110 STAT. 3212]]

Public Law 104-263
104th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To increase, effective as of December 1, 1996, the rates of disability 
 compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the 
rates of dependency <<NOTE: Oct. 9, 1996 -  [H.R. 3458]>>  and indemnity 
    compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled 
                    veterans, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Veterans' 
Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 1996.>> 

<<NOTE: 38 USC 101 note.>> SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living 
Adjustment Act of 1996''.

<<NOTE: 38 USC 1114 note.>> SEC. 2. INCREASE IN COMPENSATION RATES AND 
            LIMITATIONS.

    (a) In General.--(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, as 
provided in paragraph (2), increase, effective December 1, 1996, the 
rates of and limitations on Department of Veterans Affairs disability 
compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation.
    (2) The Secretary shall increase each of the rates and limitations 
in sections 1114, 1115(1), 1162, 1311, 1313, and 1314 of title 38, 
United States Code, that were increased by the amendments made by the 
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 1995 (Public Law 
104-57; 109 Stat. 555). This increase shall be made in such rates and 
limitations as in effect on November 30, 1996, and shall be by the same 
percentage that benefit amounts payable under title II of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) are increased effective December 1, 
1996, as a result of a determination under section 215(i) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 415(i)).
    (b) Special Rule.--The Secretary may adjust administratively, 
consistent with the increases made under subsection (a)(2), the rates of 
disability compensation payable to persons within the purview of section 
10 of Public Law 85-857 (72 Stat. 1263) who are not in receipt of 
compensation payable pursuant to chapter 11 of title 38, United States 
Code.
<<NOTE: Federal Register, publication.>>     (c) Publication 
Requirement.--At the same time as the matters specified in section 
215(i)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(2)(D)) are 
required to be published by reason of a determination made under section 
215(i) of such Act during fiscal year 1996, the Secretary shall publish 
in the Federal Register the rates and limitations referred to in 
subsection (a)(2) as increased under this section.

    Approved October 9, 1996.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 3458 (S. 1791):
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 104-647 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 104-367 accompanying S. 1791 (Comm. on Veterans' 
Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 142 (1996):
            July 16, considered and passed House.
            Sept. 26, considered and passed Senate, amended, in lieu of 
                S. 1791.
            Sept. 28, House concurred in Senate amendments.

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