Veteran Legislation Tracker

National Veterans Strategy Act of 2026 (S. 3726)

Would require the President to define 'veteran success' and develop a comprehensive National Veterans Strategy. Aims to coordinate efforts across all federal agencies serving veterans, not just the VA, and establish measurable goals for veteran outcomes in health, employment, housing, and education.

Impact: Would create a whole-of-government approach to veteran services

Homeless Veterans Prevention Act

Would expand HUD-VASH voucher program, increase per diem payments to community organizations serving homeless veterans, and create new legal services grants to help veterans with eviction prevention and benefits claims.

Impact: Would address veteran homelessness affecting ~33,000 veterans nightly

GUARD VA Benefits Act

Would ensure National Guard and Reserve members who served on federal active duty orders receive the same VA benefits as active-duty service members, closing gaps in eligibility for certain activation types.

Impact: Would affect hundreds of thousands of Guard and Reserve members

DOGE VA Workforce Reductions (Executive Action)

DOGE-directed workforce reductions at the VA targeting approximately 72,000 positions (one in five staffers). Over 2,400 VA staff terminated, 447+ contracts canceled. VA Secretary Collins stated cuts would not affect healthcare or benefits delivery. Critics warn of increased claims backlogs and reduced access. Multiple Congressional bills introduced to counter these reductions.

Impact: Could affect claims processing times and healthcare access for millions of veterans

PLUS for Veterans Act of 2025 (H.R. 1656)

Would expand GI Bill benefits to cover additional education and training programs including micro-credentials, industry certifications, and non-traditional learning pathways that are increasingly valued by employers in the modern job market.

Impact: Would expand education options beyond traditional degree programs for veterans

Improving Veterans' Experience Act of 2025 (S. 264)

Would establish a Veterans Experience Office within the VA to systematically measure and improve veteran satisfaction with VA benefits and services. Would require regular surveys, public reporting of satisfaction metrics, and accountability for low-performing facilities.

Impact: Would create formal accountability for VA service quality

Veteran and Spouse Licensing Flexibility Act (H.R. 5035)

Would provide professional license portability for veterans and their spouses across state lines. Military families move frequently, and licensing requirements vary by state, creating barriers to employment for military spouses in fields like nursing, teaching, and counseling.

Impact: Would help thousands of veteran families maintain professional careers through relocations

Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act

Would expand the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers and the Veteran Directed Care program. Aims to improve support for caregivers of veterans, including increased stipends and services.

Impact: Would expand caregiver benefits for thousands of veteran families

Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act (H.R. 3854)

Passed the House September 15, 2025. Modernizes VA claims processing through automation and digital tools. Streamlines the disability claims process to reduce backlogs and improve accuracy. Requires VA to implement new technology for faster decisions.

Impact: Would reduce claims processing times and backlog for millions of pending claims

Honor Our Promise to Veterans Act of 2025 (S. 3466)

Aims to protect veteran benefits from budget cuts and workforce reductions. Would require Congressional approval before significant VA staffing reductions and ensure that efficiency measures do not degrade veteran services or increase claims processing backlogs.

Impact: Would protect VA services during federal cost-cutting initiatives

Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025

Requires VA disability compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC), and the clothing allowance to increase by the same COLA percentage as Social Security benefits, effective December 1, 2025. The 2026 COLA is projected at 2.8%.

Impact: Annual increase for all veterans receiving VA disability compensation

PRO Veterans Act of 2025 (S. 423)

Requires VA to provide quarterly budget briefings to Congress with detailed spending breakdowns. Prohibits the VA from providing certain pay incentives to senior-level employees. Aims to increase VA fiscal transparency and accountability.

Impact: Increases Congressional oversight of VA spending

Protect Veteran Jobs Act (H.R. 1637)

Would provide reinstatement eligibility to veterans who were involuntarily removed from federal civil service positions from January 20, 2025, onward. Introduced in response to DOGE-related federal workforce reductions affecting veteran federal employees.

Impact: Would protect thousands of veteran federal employees from involuntary separation

Veterans Health Care Freedom Act (H.R. 71)

Would create a 3-year pilot program allowing veterans enrolled in VA healthcare to choose their own providers through a 'covered care' system, expanding beyond current community care access standards. Aims to reduce wait times and increase veteran choice.

Impact: Could expand healthcare provider options for millions of enrolled veterans

Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act (H.R. 333)

Would authorize concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA disability compensation for ALL disabled veterans, not just those rated 50% or higher. Currently, veterans with less than 50% disability rating must offset their retirement pay dollar-for-dollar against VA compensation.

Impact: Would benefit approximately 50,000 military retirees with disability ratings under 50%

VA Agent Orange Hypertension & MGUS Presumptive (2025 Rule)

VA formally added hypertension and Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) as Agent Orange presumptive conditions effective January 2025. Also added male breast cancer, urethral cancer, and cancer of the paraurethral glands. Bladder cancer and ureter cancer added for burn pit veterans.

Impact: Potentially hundreds of thousands of Vietnam-era veterans with hypertension can now file claims

Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act

Comprehensive package with 90+ sections improving veterans' long-term care, caregiver programs, mental health resources, education, and job training. Reauthorizes VET TEC through September 2027 (4,000 enrollees/year). Requires VA to pay/reimburse ambulance costs including air ambulance for rural veterans. Improves caregiver program transparency.

Impact: Broadest VA improvement bill since the PACT Act, affects millions of veterans

Major Richard Star Act

Would allow combat-injured veterans medically retired with less than 20 years of service to receive both disability compensation and retirement pay concurrently. Currently, these veterans must offset one against the other.

Impact: Would benefit approximately 42,000 combat-injured retirees

Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC)

The VET TEC pilot program stopped accepting applications in April 2024. Congress reauthorized the program in December 2024, but new funding has not yet been made available. Previously provided tuition for veterans to attend high-tech training programs without using GI Bill benefits.

Impact: Helps veterans transition into high-demand tech careers

Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act

Ensures surviving dependents using Fry Scholarship or transferred GI Bill benefits receive in-state tuition rates at public universities regardless of their state of residence.

Impact: Saves thousands in tuition costs for Gold Star and surviving families

COMPACT Act (Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment Act)

Requires the VA to provide emergency mental health care at non-VA facilities for veterans in acute suicidal crisis, regardless of VA enrollment status. Covers up to 30 days of inpatient care and 90 days of outpatient care.

Impact: Available to all veterans, not just those enrolled in VA

Camp Lejeune Justice Act (PACT Act Section)

Part of the PACT Act, created a federal cause of action for individuals (veterans, families, civilian workers) harmed by water contamination at Camp Lejeune between August 1953 and December 1987. Allows civil lawsuits against the government for injuries from contaminated water exposure.

Impact: Enables hundreds of thousands of Camp Lejeune veterans and families to seek legal compensation

STRONG Veterans Act

Expands VA mental health and suicide prevention services, including increasing peer specialists, expanding telehealth, improving the Veterans Crisis Line, and creating new grant programs for community-based suicide prevention.

Impact: Strengthens mental health services across the VA system

Toxic Exposure in the American Military (TEAM) Act

Was an earlier proposal to address toxic exposure. Key provisions were incorporated into the broader PACT Act. Would have expanded presumptive conditions and healthcare eligibility for exposed veterans.

Impact: Provisions merged into the PACT Act

PACT Act (Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our PACT Act)

The most significant expansion of VA healthcare and benefits in decades. Expands eligibility for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. Adds over 20 presumptive conditions and extends combat veteran healthcare eligibility from 5 to 10 years.

Impact: Affects an estimated 3.5 million veterans

Deborah Sampson Act

Improves VA services for women veterans, including expanding newborn care from 7 to 14 days, eliminating copays for maternity care, and funding retrofitting VA facilities to better serve women.

Impact: Benefits the growing population of 2+ million women veterans

Veterans Burn Pit Exposure Recognition Act

Established a concession that any veteran who served in a location with toxic exposures is conceded to have been exposed, removing the burden of proof from the veteran for disability claims related to burn pit exposure.

Impact: Streamlines claims for millions of post-9/11 veterans

Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act

Expanded VA healthcare and benefits including improvements to the caregiver program (extending to pre-9/11 veterans), emergency treatment coverage, debts and copayment relief, and modernization of VA IT systems. Named after two champions of veteran legislation.

Impact: Extended caregiver benefits to all eras of veterans, not just post-9/11

SBP-DIC Offset Repeal (National Defense Authorization Act FY2020)

Eliminated the offset between Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). Surviving spouses now receive both benefits in full, ending a long-standing inequity. (Fully phased in January 2023.)

Impact: Benefits approximately 65,000 surviving military spouses

VA MISSION Act

Consolidated and reformed VA community care programs, replacing the Veterans Choice Program. Established new eligibility criteria and access standards for veterans to receive care from community providers when VA cannot provide timely care.

Impact: Expanded community care access for millions of enrolled veterans

Veterans Affairs Transparency and Accountability Act

Gave the VA Secretary expanded authority to fire, suspend, or demote VA employees for poor performance or misconduct. Shortened the appeals process for disciplinary actions. Established the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection.

Impact: Improved accountability within VA leadership and staff

Forever GI Bill (Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act)

Eliminated the 15-year time limit for using GI Bill benefits for veterans who separated on or after January 1, 2013. Expanded eligibility for Purple Heart recipients and restored benefits for veterans whose schools closed.

Impact: Benefits over 1 million veterans and dependents annually

New Toxic Exposure Presumptives (2025)

The VA continues expanding PACT Act coverage. In January 2025, hypertension and MGUS were added as Agent Orange presumptives. Bladder cancer, ureter cancer, leukemia, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes, and myelofibrosis were added for burn pit veterans. Male breast cancer and urethral cancer were also added. Veterans with these conditions should file claims immediately.

Proposed VA Budget Changes (CBO Options Under Discussion)

Several budget reduction proposals are being discussed (none enacted):

• •Means testing: Would restrict VA disability compensation based on income
• •30% minimum rating threshold: Would eliminate 10-20% disability ratings
• •Age-based reductions: Would reduce compensation based on veteran age
• •TDIU at 67: Would end Total Disability Individual Unemployability at retirement age

These are budget options under discussion — none have been enacted or formally proposed as legislation. Contact your representatives to make your voice heard.