Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 2945 - Veterans' Compensation Amendments of 1987

(House)
(Applegate (D) Ohio and 11 others)

The administration has no objection to House passage of H.R. 2945, but will seek amendments in the Senate to:

— authorize automatic annual increases in the rates of disability compensation for veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children, based upon changes in the consumer price index (CPI). Automatic linkage of compensation and .DIC rates to the CPI would assure veterans and their survivors that they will receive increases commensurate with inflation in a timely manner.

— delete Title II of the bill, which would inappropriately create additional presumptions of service-connection for former prisoners of war, and liberalize their dental-care eligibility.

— delete section 302, which would prohibit the administration's planned initiative to consolidate the Veterans Administration's insurance operations.