Veterans Disability Compensation and Survivor Benefits Act of 1977
Public Law 95-117 · H.R. 1862 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 3, 1977 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Sonny Montgomery (D-MS-3)
Cosponsors (9): Rep. Herbert Roberts, Rep. Olin Teague,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments)
Veterans Disability Compensation and Survivor Benefits Act - =Title I: Veterans Disability Compensation= - Increases the rates of disability compensation for disabled veterans.
=Title II: Survivors Dependency and Indemnity Compensation= - Increases the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of disabled veterans.
=Title III: Clothing Allowances= - Increases from $190 to $203 the clothing allowance payable to veterans who, because of disability, wear prosthetic or orthopedic appliances which tend to wear out or tear clothing.
=Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions= - Amends existing law to include specially adapted housing eligibility for those qualifying veterans with loss or loss of the use of one upper extremity and one lower extremity requiring crutches, wheelchairs, braces, or canes.
Permits payment of VA benefits by means other than checks. Requires the VA, when practicable, to schedule delivery of benefit payments for Fridays when regular delivery would fall on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday. Requires a report to Congress on the implementation steps for such mail delivery.
States that nothing in the provision of law which permits the Administrator of the Veterans' Administration to sue and be sued in his official capacity shall be construed as authorizing garnishment or attachment against the Administrator, the VA, or any of its employees.
=Title V: Effective Date Provisions= - Declares that, except as otherwise provided, the provisions of this Act shall become effective on October 1, 1977.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Oct 3, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-117.
- Sep 23, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Sep 21, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment to Senate amendment.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment with amendment.
- Sep 9, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Aug 29, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- May 24, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- May 23, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, roll call #271 (393-0).House roll call 271
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jan 13, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.