House Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026

Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026 This bill expands specified benefits programs for veterans and their survivors and establishes a supplemental monthly allowance for certain disabled veterans. The bill establishes a supplemental monthly allowance of $833.33 for veterans who are already eligible for a monthly aid and attendance allowance due to service-connected disabilities or traumatic brain injury. The bill increases the rate of dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) by an additional 1% the next time DIC is adjusted for cost of living and an additional 0.5% the following adjustment. DIC is a monthly payment made to eligible survivors of (1) certain veterans who died due to a service-connected condition; (2) service members killed in the line of duty; or (3) veterans who were totally disabled by a service-connected disability for a certain period. The bill expands eligibility for loans under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan program to certain members of the reserve components and National Guard by expanding what qualifies as active duty. The bill includes annual training duty as qualifying active duty and grants eligibility for VA loan guarantees after 14 days of active-duty service (with an additional fee). Under the VA home loan program, the bill extends certain loan fee rates through September 30, 2036, and increases the fees for certain refinancing loans and loan assumptions. The bill extends the limitation on pension amounts for certain hospitalized or institutionalized veterans through September 30, 2036.

21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

Housing for the 21st Century Act This bill revises federal housing programs, including by expanding available financing for affordable housing and providing grants for planning and community development activities. For example, the bill increases the statutory maximum loan limits for mortgage insurance programs administered by the Federal Housing Administration for multifamily homes and requires the use of a more specific inflation index for such loans. The bill also increases the maximum eligible income for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (grants to states and localities to support housing for low-income households) and establishes a grant program to assist regional, state, and local entities with strategies to support affordable housing. In addition, the bill exempts certain housing-related activities from the environmental review process, including certain construction, improvement, or rehabilitation of residential buildings; excludes veterans' disability benefits from being considered as income for purposes of determining eligibility for the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program; establishes a pilot program to provide grants to public housing agencies (PHAs) and other owners of federally assisted housing to test the efficacy of temperature sensors to support compliance with temperature requirements; eliminates the requirement that manufactured homes must be constructed with a permanent chassis; and authorizes HUD to conduct performance reviews of organizations that provide housing counseling services. The bill also expands oversight of HUD and PHAs, such as by requiring PHAs to post information about contracts on their websites. For more information about this bill, see CRS Report R48849 .

To reinstate criminal penalties for persons charging veterans unauthorized fees relating to claims for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

The proposal would make it illegal for people to charge veterans unauthorized fees when helping them apply for Veterans Affairs benefits, with criminal penalties for those who break this rule. This protects veterans from being scammed or overcharged by people claiming to assist with benefit claims. The bill is currently being reviewed by congressional committees to determine if it should move forward.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase burial and funeral expenses paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the case of death from a service-connected disability, and for other purposes.

The bill would increase the amount of money the Department of Veterans Affairs pays toward burial and funeral costs when a veteran dies from a service-connected disability. This would help veteran families cover these expenses more fully, reducing their out-of-pocket costs during an already difficult time. The change would affect veterans and their families who are eligible for VA burial benefits.

Timely Agreements Act

The proposal would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to more easily share medical equipment, supplies, and staff expertise with state-run veterans homes, helping these facilities provide better care to veterans. This could mean veterans in state homes get faster access to VA specialists and equipment without having to travel to VA hospitals. The change affects both VA facilities and state veterans homes across the country that serve retired military members.

Fostering TRUST Act of 2026

The Department of Veterans Affairs would be required to notify Congress whenever a veteran dies by suicide or attempts suicide at a VA facility or through a VA-contracted community care provider. This reporting requirement aims to give lawmakers visibility into suicide incidents involving veterans under VA care so they can monitor trends and potentially improve mental health services. The measure affects veterans receiving care through the VA system and the VA itself, which would need to establish new notification procedures.

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a veterans visa program to permit veterans who have been removed from the United States to return as immigrants, and for other purposes.

The proposal would create a special visa program allowing military veterans who were deported from the United States to return and become permanent residents. This would affect former service members who lost their immigration status and were removed from the country, giving them a pathway to come back and live legally in the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security would be responsible for setting up and managing this new visa category.

Veterans Hearing Aid Improvement Act of 2026

The Department of Veterans Affairs would test a program to cover over-the-counter hearing aids for eligible veterans, allowing them to purchase these devices without a prescription and potentially reducing costs compared to traditional prescription hearing aids. This demonstration project would help determine whether providing easier access to affordable hearing aids improves veterans' quality of life and whether it's a cost-effective option for the VA to offer. The results would inform whether the VA should expand this coverage more broadly to all veterans who need hearing assistance.

Locating Our Unclaimed Veterans Act

The Department of Veterans Affairs would create a centralized online system to store and track information about unclaimed remains of deceased veterans, making it easier for families and officials to locate and identify these individuals. This would help ensure that veterans' remains are properly accounted for and can be reunited with their families or given appropriate burial honors. The measure affects veterans' families, VA staff, and funeral homes that may be holding unclaimed remains.

Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act

Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement an electronic process for scheduling health care appointments furnished by the VA or through the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) and extends an existing limitation on certain pensions. Under the bill, the VA must implement the electronic process not later than two years after the enactment of this bill. The VA must implement a mandatory training program for VA schedulers or other employees involved in scheduling appointments regarding guidelines for the implementation of the electronic process. Additionally, the VA must prescribe performance benchmarks and outcome-based metrics for the electronic process. The VA must also implement an outreach strategy to encourage non-VA health care providers participating in the VCCP to participate in the electronic process. Under current law, the pension paid to veterans who reside in Medicaid nursing homes and have no spouse or child is limited to $90 a month through January 31, 2033. The bill extends this limitation through June 30, 2033.

Get Justice-Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act

This bill would help veterans who have been involved with the criminal justice system reintegrate into their communities by providing support services, housing assistance, and job training programs. The legislation aims to reduce recidivism among justice-involved veterans by addressing their unique needs, such as mental health treatment and substance abuse services related to military service. Veterans' Affairs and Judiciary committees will review the bill to determine how it fits within their respective areas of responsibility.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Affairs History Office, and for other purposes.

The proposal would create a new office within the Department of Veterans Affairs dedicated to documenting and preserving the history of the VA and veterans' experiences. This History Office would be responsible for collecting records, conducting research, and making historical information available to the public and researchers. The change would help ensure that the VA's institutional knowledge and veterans' stories are properly maintained for future generations.

Resolution Act.

I don't have enough information to write an accurate summary. The title "Resolution Act" is too generic, and the referral to a subcommittee on commodity markets, digital assets, and rural development suggests the bill addresses specific financial or agricultural issues, but without seeing the actual bill text or a more detailed description of its purpose, I cannot reliably explain what it would do or who it affects.

Advancing Policy Priorities Act

This bill appears to be a comprehensive package addressing multiple policy areas across government, touching on everything from veterans' benefits and military spending to energy, transportation, financial regulation, education, and agriculture. Because it covers so many different topics, it has been referred to nearly every major congressional committee so each can review the parts relevant to their area. The specific details of what the bill would actually change are unclear from the title alone, but its broad referral suggests it aims to advance the administration's priorities across numerous federal agencies and programs.

ROAD to Housing Act of 2025

The bill aims to address housing shortages and improve community development through coordinated federal efforts across multiple policy areas including transportation, veterans' services, and rural development. By involving committees on infrastructure, agriculture, and energy alongside housing-focused committees, the legislation likely combines strategies such as improving access to affordable housing, supporting veterans' housing needs, and connecting communities through better transportation and utilities. The broad referral suggests the bill takes a comprehensive approach to making it easier and more affordable for Americans to find and maintain housing.

Governing for the People Act

This bill likely aims to reform how the federal government operates to better serve ordinary Americans, though the specific changes aren't clear from the title alone. Based on its referral to a health subcommittee, it may address how health-related government agencies function or make decisions. The bill could affect federal workers, patients who rely on government health programs, and the general public's access to government services.

Fisher House Availability Act of 2026

Fisher House Availability Act of 2026 This bill expands eligibility for temporary lodging at a Fisher House to additional individuals receiving medical care or treatment at a Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) or non-VA facility or those accompanying individuals receiving such treatment. (Fisher Houses are where the VA furnishes no-cost lodging to veterans and other eligible individuals when receiving treatment or accompanying an individual receiving treatment.) Specifically, the bill authorizes the VA to provide lodging at a Fisher House on a space-available basis to members of the uniformed services performing active duty (i.e., covered beneficiaries) who must travel a significant distance to receive care or services; family members and others accompanying such covered beneficiaries to receive care or services; veterans, members of a veteran's family, and others who must travel a significant distance for a member of a veteran's family to receive care or services; and covered beneficiaries, members of a covered beneficiary’s family, and others who must travel a significant distance for a member of a beneficiary’s family to receive care or services. Finally, the bill extends the limitation on pension amounts for certain hospitalized or institutionalized veterans through July 31, 2033.

Veterans’ Transition to Trucking Act of 2025

Veterans' Transition to Trucking Act of 2025 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to act as a state approving agency to approve multi-state apprenticeship programs (i.e., non-federal apprenticeship programs operating in more than one state) for purposes of VA educational assistance benefits. (State approving agencies are designated by states to provide, among other duties, approval of courses of education for purposes of VA education benefits.)

Congratulating the Jewish War Veterans on the 130th anniversary of the organization's founding and honoring their commitment to Jewish war veterans.

This resolution recognizes the Jewish War Veterans organization on its 130th anniversary and celebrates their work supporting Jewish veterans who have served in the military. The measure honors the organization's long history of advocating for veterans' benefits, providing community support, and preserving the legacy of Jewish service members across generations.

CRUISE Act

The CRUISE Act likely addresses military readiness, operations, or personnel matters within the armed forces, though the specific policy details would depend on the bill's actual provisions. Based on its status in committee review, it appears to be a defense-related measure that lawmakers are evaluating for potential passage. The bill would affect military personnel, defense operations, or national security procedures once enacted.