Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act”.
Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to veterans for improvements and structural alterations furnished as part of home health services.
Sec. 2 Increase in amount available to disabled veterans for improvements and structural alterations furnished as part of home health services
Increase—
In general— Paragraph (2) of section 1717(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
in subparagraph (A)—
in clause (i), by striking “; or” and inserting a semicolon;
in clause (ii)—
by inserting “and before the date of the enactment of the Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act” after “May 5, 2010,”; and
by striking “; and” and inserting “; or”; and
by adding at the end the following new clause:
“(iii) in the case of a veteran who first applies for benefits under this paragraph on or after the date of the enactment of the Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act, $10,000; and”
in subparagraph (B)—
in clause (i), by striking “; or” and inserting a semicolon;
in clause (ii)—
by inserting “and before the date of the enactment of the Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act” after “May 5, 2010,”; and
by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and
by adding at the end the following new clause:
“(iii) in the case of a veteran who first applies for benefits under this paragraph on or after the date of the enactment of the Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act, $5,000.”
Applicability— A veteran who exhausts the eligibility of the veteran for benefits under section 1717(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, before the date of the enactment of this Act is not entitled to additional benefits under such section by reason of the amendments made by paragraph (1).
Adjustment for inflation— Section 1717(a) of title 38, United States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(4) On an annual basis, the Secretary shall increase the dollar amounts in effect under paragraph (2) by a percentage equal to the percentage by which the consumer price index for all urban consumers (United States city average) increased during the 12-month period ending with the last month for which consumer price index data is available. In the event that such consumer price index does not increase during such period, the Secretary shall maintain the dollar amounts in effect under paragraph (2) during the previous fiscal year.”