Veterans Disability Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment

Current understanding

To be populated as evidence accumulates.

Evidence log

• 2026-05-11 — Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2026: 2026 — Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2026 would require VA to raise wartime disability compensation, dependent allowances, clothing allowance, and DIC rates by the Social Security COLA percentage effective December 1, 2026, and publish the new rates; bill introduced. (novelty: 2)
• 2025-11-17 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an annual increase in 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, and for other purposes.: 2026 — HR6027 would statutorily require VA to increase wartime disability compensation, dependents’ compensation, clothing allowance, and DIC rates each December 1 by the same percentage as the Social Security COLA; bill introduced, not enacted. (novelty: 2)
• 2025-04-04 — Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act: 2026 — HR2244 (Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act) would expand the pool of veterans eligible for VA disability compensation (and thus future COLA-indexed payments) by adding a presumptive service-connection pathway for military firefighters; bill is introduced, not enacted. (novelty: 2)
• 2025-03-14 — Correcting Guam’s History in the PACT Act: 2026 — HR2149 would enlarge the pool of Guam-service veterans eligible for VA disability compensation (and thus future COLA-indexed payments) by pushing the PACT Act presumptive-exposure start date back to August 15, 1958; bill is introduced, not enacted. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-04-29 — Disabled Veterans Dignity Act of 2026: 2026-04-29 — Disabled Veterans Dignity Act of 2026 (S3647) received Senate Veterans’ Affairs hearings; tracked as adjacent VA disability benefits legislation pending substantive text. (novelty: 2)

Open questions

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