WASHINGTON — The 17,000 Hawai'i recipients of veterans' disability compensation and survivors benefits will see a cost-of-living adjustment in their Department of Veterans Affairs payments starting Dec. 1 under a bill President Bush signed into law Wednesday.

The increase, which will go to 2.8 million veterans and more than 300,000 surviving spouses nationally, will be equal to the annual percentage increase in Social Security benefits but has yet to be determined.

In July, the Congressional Budget Office estimated the increase would be 2.8 percent this year, although some economists are now predicting more. Last year, the adjustment was 2.3 percent.

"In this time of rising costs and a faltering economy, we must not allow inflation to eat into the compensation of disabled veterans or their survivors," said Sen. Dan Akaka, D-Hawai'i, chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and sponsor of the legislation.