Rigell Supports Legislation to Increase Veterans COLA, Protect and Preserve Benefits

Press Release

Consistent with his commitment to honor and defend America's veterans, Congressman Scott Rigell (VA-02) supported four bipartisan bills designed to protect and preserve veterans' health and benefits, including a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase. The bills passed in the House of Representatives.

Rigell, whose district is home to more active duty and retired military personnel than any other district in the country, said: "Our veterans deserve not only our deep respect and gratitude, but action to ensure that we meet our obligation to defend those who have defended us. We have a duty to protect those who wear our nation's uniform and speak boldly on their behalf."

About the bills:

* Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2014 (S. 2258) -- Directs the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs to increase the rate of compensation for veterans effective December 1, 2014. The increase in payment is for the payment of wartime disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.

* Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2014 (H.R. 5404) -- Extends a number of expiring authorities relating to health care, homelessness, and benefits for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Click here for a section-by-section summary courtesy of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

* VA Construction Assistance Act of 2014 (H.R. 3593) -- Institutes efficiency and cost-savings reforms for the construction of major VA medical facilities and expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the VA should implement all recommendations from the April 2013 GAO report to improve construction procedures, and management of current construction projects in Denver, Orlando, and New Orleans should be subject to independent oversight by a special project manager from the Army Corps of Engineers. The bill requires that for each major medical facility project the Secretary shall use a medical equipment planner, develop and use a project management plan to ensure communication among all parties, subject the project to construction peer review, and develop metrics monitoring change-orders.

* Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Improvement Act of 2014 (H.R. 4276) -- Strengthens the reporting requirements associated with a pilot program on assisted living services for veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which assesses the effectiveness of providing assisted living services to eligible veterans to enhance rehabilitation, quality of life, and community integration. The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit quarterly reports to Congress from January 1, 2015 to September 30, 2017 on the program, tracking the total number of participants, the number that successfully completed the program, the level of satisfaction of participants and their family members, and the Secretary's interim conclusions on the program's success. Within 60 days of the pilot program's completion, the Secretary must submit to Congress a final evaluation of the program.

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