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Bost, Esty Introduce Bills To Provide Cost-Of-Living Adjustment To Veterans

Today, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (DAMA) Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Ranking Member Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.) introduced two bills, the Veterans’ Compensation COLA Act of 2017 and the American Heroes COLA Act of 2017, to provide a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to veterans.

“I am proud to introduce these bills to provide important cost-of-living adjustments to our nation’s veterans and their dependents,” said DAMA Subcommittee Chairman Bost. “These measures have received bipartisan support in the past, and I thank Ranking Member Esty for joining me in this important effort. I look forward to leading my colleagues to ensure the men and women who have served receive the benefits they have earned.”

“It is an honor to join with Chairman Bost to introduce these bipartisan bills that will provide a cost-of-living adjustment to our veterans and their families,” said DAMA Subcommittee Ranking Member Esty. “Our veterans – and their loved ones – sacrificed so much on behalf of our nation to earn these important benefits. We have an obligation to provide them with the resources they need to keep up with the rising costs of living. I urge my colleagues to join with us in supporting these important measures and look forward to continuing our work together in service to those who have worn the uniform.”

The Veterans’ Compensation COLA Act of 2017 would provide a cost-of-living increase for wartime disability compensation; compensation for dependents; clothing allowance; dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving spouses; and, dependency and indemnity compensation to children paid to our wounded warriors and their families for injuries they suffered while serving our nation in uniform. This increase would begin December 1. You can read the Veterans’ Compensation COLA Act of 2017 here.

Social Security beneficiaries’ COLAs are automatic and do not require Congressional authorization each year. The American Heroes COLA Act of 2017 would authorize the VA Secretary to provide automatic annual COLAs to wartime disability compensation; additional compensation for dependents; clothing allowance; dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving spouses; and, dependency and indemnity compensation to children paid to our wounded warriors and their families for injuries they suffered while serving our nation without having to seek Congressional approval. You can read the American Heroes COLA Act of 2017 here.
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