An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide a cost-of-living increase in the rates of compensation paid to veterans with service-connected disabilities and in the rates of dependency and indemnity compensations paid to survivors of veterans, to modify certain veterans' life insurance programs, and to exempt Veterans' Administration home loans from State anti-usury laws; to provide for certain assistance in locating individuals who were exposed to occupational hazards during military service; and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-128 · H.R. 2282 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 28, 1979 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Sonny Montgomery (D-MS-3)
Cosponsors (30): Rep. Herbert Roberts, Rep. John Hammerschmidt,
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.
(Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment)
Veterans Disability Compensation and Survivors' Benefits Amendments of 1979 - =Title I: Veterans' Disability Compensation Benefits= - Increases the rates of veterans' compensation for: (1) wartime disability compensation; (2) additional compensation for dependents; and (3) clothing allowances paid to certain disabled veterans.
Revises certain veteran eligibility requirements for aid-and-attendance allowances. Provides for the establishment of intermediate rates for purposes of service-connected disability benefits.
Authorizes the Administrator of the Veterans' Administration to adjust the rates of disability compensation for certain veterans, consistent with the increases authorized under this title.
=Title II: Survivors' Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Benefits= - Increases the rates of veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation for: (1) a surviving spouse; (2) surviving children; and (3) supplemental children's benefits, beginning October 1, 1979.
=Title III: Amendments to Certain Veterans' Life Insurance Provisions= - Authorizes the payment of dividends on Veterans' Reopened Insurance policies. Authorizes the payment of higher interest rates for amounts payable to beneficiaries under NSLI, Veterans Special Life Insurance, and U.S. Government Life Insurance policies in cases where such payments are made in equal monthly installments.
=Title IV: Exemption of Veterans' Administration Home Loans from State Anti-Usury Provisions= - Exempts VA guaranteed and insured home loans from State anti-usury laws and constitutional provisions to conform to treatment of mortgages under the National Housing Act.
=Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions= - Makes technical revisions in existing provisions of law, to conform to the Veterans' Health Care Amendments of 1979.
Requires the Director of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, upon request by the VA (or other Federal department, agency, or instrumentality) to request the current mailing address from the Internal Revenue Service of persons whom the VA certifies may have been exposed to occupational hazards. Stipulates that such information shall be used solely for purposes of locating such persons as part of a VA program for certain medical follow-up and benefits notification relating to such possible exposure.
=Title VI: Effective Dates= - Sets forth the effective dates of specified sections of this Act.
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. 15 actions.
- Nov 28, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-128.
- Nov 20, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 16, 1979Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment.
- Nov 15, 1979Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment.
- Oct 30, 1979Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments.
- Aug 3, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Jul 16, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #334 (350-0).House roll call 334
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jun 27, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Feb 21, 1979CommitteeCommittee · 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.