Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Compensation Title II: Memorial Affairs Subtitle A: American Battle Monuments Commission Subtitle B: National Cemeteries Title III: Housing Title IV: Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Title V: Other Matters Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 1999 - Title I: Compensation - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase, as of December 1, 1999, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children. Requires each such increase to be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date. (Sec. 102) Includes bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma within the list of diseases presumed to be service-connected, in the case of exposure to ionizing radiation, and therefore compensable for purposes of veterans' disability compensation and medical care. (Sec. 103) Authorizes the payment of DIC to the surviving spouse of a veteran who died while totally disabled from a service-connected disability, who was a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999, and who had been diagnosed as having one of the diseases specified as being service-connected and therefore compensable. (Sec. 104) States that the remarriage of the surviving spouse of a veteran shall not bar the furnishing of the following benefits to such person if the remarriage has been terminated by death or divorce unless the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines that the divorce was secured through fraud or collusion: (1) DIC; (2) medical care for survivors and dependents of certain veterans; (3) educational assistance; and (4) housing loans. Title II: Memorial Affairs - Subtitle A: American Battle Monuments Commission - Directs the American Battle Monuments Commission to solicit and accept contributions for establishing the World War II memorial in the District of Columbia or its environs (authorized under prior law). Establishes in the Treasury a fund to hold and expend such contributions. Authorizes the Commission to: (1) borrow up to $65 million from the Treasury to ensure that memorial groundbreaking, construction, and dedication are completed on a timely basis; and (2) accept voluntary services in furtherance of fund-raising activities (authorizing reimbursement of volunteer incidental expenses). Extends until December 31, 2005 (currently May 25, 2000) the authority to construct the memorial. (Sec. 202) Revises current Commission authority to receive State, local, and private amounts for establishing the memorial to: (1) authorize the Commission to solicit ( currently, receive) such contributions; and (2) require the deposit of such amounts in the fund created under this title. Requires the Commission to establish written guidelines for the acceptance of funds and in-kind contributions. (Sec. 203) Authorizes the Commission to adopt, obtain, use, register, and license trademarks, copyrights, and patents in connection with intellectual property and related items. Subtitle B: National Cemeteries - Directs the Secretary to establish a national cemetery in each of four areas of the United States determined to be in most need of such a cemetery to serve the needs of veterans and their families. Obligates FY 2000 funds for such projects. Requires an initial and annual reports to Congress. (Sec. 212) Directs the Secretary to contract with one or more qualified organizations to conduct an independent study of national cemeteries, including repairs needed, additional cemeteries required, and improvement of burial benefits. Requires reports from the organization to the Secretary, and from the Secretary to the congressional veterans' committees. Title III: Housing - Extends permanently (currently ends on September 30, 2003) the eligibility of certain former members of the Selected Reserve for veterans' housing loans. (Sec. 302) Directs the Secretary to conduct, directly or by grant or contract, programs to expedite the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor force. Authorizes the Secretary to monitor the expenditure of funds under such programs. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004. Title IV: Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims - Authorizes the Court of Veterans Appeals (Court) to prescribe rules and regulations. (Sec. 402) Authorizes a retired judge of the Court to be recalled for further service if such judge, at the time of retirement, had provided written notice of such judge's availability for further service. Allows the Court chief judge to recall such a judge if substantial service is expected to be performed for the recall period. Prohibits a recalled judge from serving for more than 90 days in a calendar year without the judge's consent or for more than 180 days during a calendar year in any event. Requires a chief judge to remove from the recall-eligible list a judge who: (1) is recalled but declines; or (2) becomes permanently disabled and unable to perform judicial services. (Sec. 403) Requires 183 days or more served as a Court judge to be credited toward years of service and less than such period to be disregarded. (Sec. 404) Provides retired pay computation for judges who were recall-eligible but lost such status and for judges who chose not to provide a notice of availability for recall. Allows for a cost-of-living adjustment to the retired pay of a Court judge only up to an amount that would make the retired pay equal to the pay received by a current Court judge. Prohibits the payment of military retired pay for periods served as a Court judge. (Sec. 405) Makes a surviving spouse of a Court judge eligible for a survivor annuity after being married for at least one year (currently, two years) before such judge's death. Allows a Court judge to elect to participate in a survivor annuity within six months after marriage if such judge has retired. Reduces the percentage of pay reduction required of active judges as contributions toward retirement annuities. Prohibits interest payments on retirement pay reductions in the case of Court judges for any period during which such judges: (1) were separated from judicial service or service as a Member of Congress or congressional employee; and (2) were not receiving retired pay or annuities based on such service. Allows a surviving annuity to be paid to the survivors of a judge who dies after having rendered at least 18 months (currently, five years) of creditable civilian service. Allows a survivor annuity without a creditable service requirement in the case of a judge who is assassinated. Repeals a current requirement that a surviving spouse be at least 50 years of age before receiving such annuity. (Sec. 406) States that a recall-eligible retired Court judge who represents a client in a claim for veterans' benefits shall be considered to have declined recall service and be removed from recall-eligible status. (Sec. 407) Allows only one eligible associate judge of the Court to retire under early retirement authority in each of calendar years 1999 through 2003. Provides early retirement requirements. Requires the judge to: (1) notify the President and the Court's chief judge of the intent to retire; and (2) retire during the fiscal year in which notification is provided but not earlier than 90 days following such notification. Makes recall-eligible retired judges and judges who were removed from such eligibility due to disability eligible for annual adjustments in judges' retired pay as provided by law. Title V: Other Matters - Extends permanently: (1) the authority of the Secretary to issue and guarantee principal and interest on certificates or other securities evidencing an interest in a pool of mortgage loans made by the Secretary; (2) procedures applicable to liquidation sales on homes whose loans were defaulted by veterans; and (3) the authority of the Secretary to utilize information from the Secretaries of Health and Human Services or the Treasury for veterans' income verification purposes. (Sec. 502) Directs the Secretary to carry out a quality assurance program in the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs, either through a single division or separate quality assurance entities. Requires: (1) the Under Secretary for Benefits to perform and oversee quality reviews of such division or entities; (2) an adequate number of quality assurance personnel within the Administration; and (3) an annual report from the Secretary to Congress on quality assurance activities. (Sec. 503) Extends through December 31, 2004, the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. (Sec. 504) Congratulates and commends the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States on their 100th anniversary. (Sec. 505) Outlines authorized purposes for funds appropriated to the Department for the following accounts: (1) Compensation and Pension; (2) Medical Care; (3) Medical Administration and Miscellaneous Operating Expenses; (4) General Operating Expenses;(5) Construction, Major Projects; and (6) Construction, Minor Projects. Requires that, for the purpose of any law appropriating funds to the Department for the cost of direct or guaranteed loans, the cost of any such loan shall be as defined under title V of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.