Statement on Signing the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 1999

Today I am pleased to sign into law H.R. 2280, the "Veterans Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 1999," which provides a 2.4 percent cost-of-living adjustment in benefits for service-disabled veterans and their surviving spouses and children. It provides for increased rates in payments of service-connected disability compensation to veterans who suffer from service-related disabilities and in payments of dependency and indemnity compensation for the surviving spouses and children of service members and veterans whose deaths are servicerelated. The increased benefit rates will take effect on December 1, 1999. This legislation, derived from an Administration proposal, ensures that the value of these well-deserved benefits will keep pace with increases in consumer prices.

As a country, we must remember those veterans who gave of themselves to assure the continued protection of this great Nation. The freedoms and liberty that we enjoy as citizens depend on the men and women in our Armed Forces. In a tangible way, this legislation expresses the gratitude of the Nation for the sacrifices our veterans have unselfishly endured.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

The White House, November 30, 1999.