On October 19, 2011, the Social Security Administration announced a 3.6% cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) increase for those receiving Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, military retired pay, SBP annuities, VA disability, and survivor benefits. The COLA is a result of changes to the Consumer Price Index for Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The CPI-W is determined by surveying households about their expenditures. The survey counts households where the following conditions are met:

1. More than one-half of the household's income must come from clerical or wage occupations

2. At least one of the household's earners must have been employed for at least 37 weeks during the previous 12 months

The population surveyed for the CPI-W is representative of approximately 32% of the total US population.  

Learn more about the Consumer Price Index >>

VA Initiatives

Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance
The Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance provides life insurance to severely disabled veterans and service members. The life insurance is available to pay off home mortgages of disabled veterans and service members in the event of their death. To learn more about this insurance go to: http://www.insurance.va.gov

VA is accepting Applications for the New Family Caregiver Program
Available to post-9/11 veterans, the family caregiver program has been designed to provide assistance for family members who provide care to disabled veterans. To learn more about the program go to: http://www.caregiver.va.gov/

The program also provides services for caregivers who care for veterans pre-9/11.

Bills of Interest

According to Transportation for America, more than 47,700 pedestrians were killed from being struck by vehicles during the last ten years. Transportation for America likens the number of deaths to, "the equivalent of a jumbo jet full of passengers crashing roughly every month." In addition to fatalities, 688,000 pedestrians were injured by vehicles during the same time period, leading law makers to question the safety of our streets, which is why the Complete Streets Act of 2011 (H.R. 1780 / S. 1056) was introduced in May. 

The Complete Streets Act seeks "To ensure the safety of all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, older individuals, and individuals with disabilities, as they travel on and across federally funded streets and highways." The bill was introduced by Representative Doris Matsui (D-HI), Steve LaTourette (R-OH), and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and has 15 bipartisan cosponsors. The Mountain States Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America would like to thank all those supporting The Complete Streets Act, which will make travel safer for those in wheelchairs and would like to urge all Representatives and Senators from Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Montana to support this crucial piece of legislation.