Amata Highlights Cost-of-Living Boost for Key Veterans’ Benefits Next Year

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is highlighting a cost of living boost in several Veterans’ benefits next year. The House of Representatives passed the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Act of 2023, S. 777, unanimously on May 23. It had already passed the Senate, and President Biden signed the increase into law Wednesday.

Congress increased the VA amounts payable for wartime disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Specifically, the VA will increase the amounts by the same percentage as the next cost-of-living increase in benefits for Social Security recipients that becomes effective on December 1, 2023.

“I want to let these Veterans and their families know about this increase for next year, which builds on the larger cost of living increase that went into effect for this year,” said Congresswoman Amata, who serves as Vice Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “It’s important to keep our national commitment to our Veterans, and continue factoring inflation into future benefits and needed cost of living improvements.”

This follows the 2023 COLA increase of 8.7 percent, through a 2022 bill passed by Congress, which was the largest increase in many years, based on inflation-caused needs.

Also in May, the House passed H.R. 1669, the VET-TEC Authorization Act of 2023, supporting Veterans educational goals in technology courses. The Act, which has been referred to the Senate, would make the VET-TEC pilot program permanent and make improvements. This bill would allow 8,000 veterans to enroll in the program yearly, and increase the institutions of higher education participating. Veterans using the program would also still receive many of the benefits student veterans have under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, such as monthly housing allowances, and tuition assistance to ensure that they have the resources they need to successfully complete the program.

In Veterans’ activity this week, Congresswoman Amata took part in a Health Subcommittee oversight hearing titled “Care Coordination: Assessing Veteran Needs and Improving Outcomes.” Video of Rep. Amata’s questions to the expert witnesses regarding care coordination programs is available HERE beginning at the 48:30 timestamp.

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