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PUBLIC LAW 98-21—APR. 20, 1983 97 STAT. 73 96 Stat. 802. 38 u s e 3023 note. section) for all of the purposes of such Act as amended by this section and by other provisions of this Act, without r^ard to the extent by which the Consumer Price Index has increased since the last prior cost-of-living computation quarter which was established under such paragraph dXB). (e) Section 403(b) of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1982 (Public Law 97-253) is amended to read as follows: "(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amendment made by subsection (a)(1) shall apply with respect to amounts payable for periods beginning after May 31,1983. "(2) In the cases of individuals to whom pension is payable under Effective date. sections 521, 541, and 542 of title 38, United States Code, the amendment made by subsection (a)(1) shall take effect on the first day after May 31, 1983, that an increase is made in maximum annual rates of pension pursuant to section 3112 of title 38, United States Code.". COST-OF-LIVING INCREASES TO BE BASED ON EITHER WAGES OR PRICES (WHICHEVER IS LOWER) WHEN BALANCE IN OASDI TRUST FUNDS FALLS BELOW SPECIFIED LEVEL SEC. 112. (a) Section 215(i)(l) of the Social Security Act is 42 use 415. amended— (1) by striking out "in which" in subparagraph (B) and all that follows down through the first semicolon in such subparagraph and inserting in lieu thereof "with respect to which the applica- ble increase percentage is 3 percent or more;"; (2) by striking out "and at the end of subparagraph (B); (3) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (H); and (4) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraphs: "(C) the term 'applicable increase percentage' means— Definitions, "(i) with respect to a base quarter or cost-of-living compu- tation quarter in any calendar year before 1984, or in any calendar year after 1983 and before 1989 for which the OASDI fund ratio is 15.0 percent or more, or in any calen- dar year after 1988 for which the OASDI fund ratio is 20.0 percent or more, the CPI increase percentage; and "(ii) with respect to a base quarter or cost-of-living compu- tation quarter in any calendar year after 1983 and before 1989 for which the OASDI fund ratio is less than 15.0 percent, or in any calendar year after 1988 for which the OASDI fund ratio is less than 20.0 percent, the CPI increase percentage or the wage increase percentage, whichever (with respect to that quarter) is the lower; "(D) the term 'CPI increase percentage', with respect to a base quarter or cost-of-living computation quarter in any calendar year, means the percentage (rounded to the nearest one-tenth of 1 percent) by which the Consumer Price Index for that quarter (as prepared by the Department of Labor) exceeds such index for the most recent prior calendar quarter which was a base quarter under subparagraph (A)(ii) or, if later, the most recent cost-of-living computation quarter under subparagraph (B); "(E) the term wage increase percentage', with respect to a base quarter or cost-of-living computation quarter in any calen- dar year, means the percentage (rounded to the nearest one-