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Veterans' Compensation Rate Increase and Job Training Amendments of 1985

Public Law 99-238 · H.R. 1538 · 99th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jan 13, 1986 · Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor: Rep. Douglas Applegate (D-OH-18)

Cosponsors (12): Rep. Gerald Solomon,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Veterans' Compensation Rate Increase and Job Training Amendments of 1985 - Title I: Disability Compensation and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Rate Increases - Increases the rate of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, and the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans. Increases the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and for children, as well as the rates of supplemental dependency and indemnity compensation for children.

Title II: Veterans' Job Training Amendments - Amends the Emergency Veterans' Job Training Act of 1983 to change the title to the Veterans' Job Training Act. Increases the eligibility of certain veterans to job training programs under such Act by lowering the required pre-application period of unemployment to ten of the last 15 weeks (currently, 15 of the previous 20 weeks).

Directs the Secretary of Labor to provide for a program in which periodic contact is maintained with veterans participating in job training programs, and in which counseling services are provided in appropriate situations.

Extends through FY 1986 the authorization of appropriations under such Act and makes such sums available through September 30, 1988.

Extends the time periods authorized for starting and completing such programs.

Provides for the payment to employers of funds for veterans' job training assistance in certain circumstances and upon proper application.

Directs the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to take all feasible steps to establish and encourage the development of job training opportunities which are consistent with the purposes of the Veterans' Job Training Act. Directs the Administrator to ensure that, in appropriate cases, payments are made to employers on behalf of veterans for the purpose of job training assistance.

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.

  1. Jan 13, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-238.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Jan 3, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 19, 1985Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
  5. FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
  6. Dec 9, 1985FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 388 - 0 (Record Vote No: 440).House roll call 440
  7. Nov 14, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Ways and Means Committee
  8. Oct 29, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
  10. Sep 11, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
  11. Jul 16, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Compensation, Pension and Insurance Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Compensation, Pension and Insurance Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
  13. Apr 17, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Compensation, Pension and Insurance Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Compensation, Pension and Insurance Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
  15. Mar 19, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Veterans' Affairs Committee
  16. 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.