WASHINGTON — House lawmakers this week backed a 3.6 percent increase in veterans disability compensation for the coming year, sending the measure to the White House for final approval.
If signed into law – and the president is expected to do that in the next few days – the measure would mark the first cost-of-living adjustment for disabled veterans since 2008. The hike reflects an increase in the consumer price index, which gauges inflation increases for the coming year.
Social Security, military retired pay and other federal payouts are also tied to the Consumer Price Index, and will rise next year by the same amount. Those increases take effect Dec. 1. The disability check increases will begin then too, as long as the measure is signed into law before that date.
For a 100-percent disabled veteran with a spouse and children, the 3.6 percent raise will mean an increase of a little more than $100 a month.