Veterans' Compensation Cost-Of-Living Adjustment Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4958, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2018.

H.R. 4958 directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase, as of December 1, 2018, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.

The bill increases 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.

For the brave military men and women serving our country, this will help offset the cost of living in higher cost areas of the country.

Our nation owes a great debt to these fearless men and women defending our nation.

Providing cost of living adjustments to keep up with inflation is an effective way to honor their sacrifice.

Many of our veterans rely on the disability benefits they receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs to merely make ends meet.

While Social Security benefits are automatically adjusted annually to keep pace with inflation, Congress must pass legislation every year to increase the rates of veteran disability compensation.

Unfortunately, it requires an act of Congress to make this same adjustment for our nation's veterans.

Passing H.R. 4958 ensures that our nation's veterans are able to receive the same annual cost of living adjustment of Social Security recipients.

The community-integrated rehabilitation treatment provided by the pilot program will serve as a vital resource to our veterans as they overcome burdensome health problems.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4958 to show their support and gratitude for the many sacrifices made by our service men and women.

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