WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate unanimously passed U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown’s (D-OH) bipartisan bill, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2018, to increase veterans’ disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill now heads to the House of Representatives.

“Ohio veterans have served our nation honorably, and we must ensure the benefits they earned are keeping up with today’s economy,” said Brown. “I’m glad to join my colleagues on the Senate VA committee in offering this important solution for Ohio veterans, and I’m glad to see the bill’s unanimous passage through the Senate tonight.”  

The bill, co-sponsored by every member of the Senate VA committee, increases the rates of VA disability compensation, dependency compensation for surviving children and spouses, as well as the clothing allowance for veterans based on rising costs of living.

This cost-of-living adjustment, which would be equal to the amount of the adjustment given to Social Security recipients, is determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index on a yearly basis. The cost-of-living adjustment for veterans would go into effect on Dec. 1, 2018.

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