Union Calendar No. 497
119th CONGRESS 2d Session |
[Report No. 119–577]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the dollar amounts for the payment of certain disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation under the laws administered by the Secretary.
November 17, 2025
Mr. Barrett (for himself, Mr. Bost, Mr. Van Orden, Mr. Ciscomani, Mrs. Radewagen, Ms. King-Hinds, Mr. Hudson, Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia, Mr. Hill of Arkansas, Mr. Luttrell, Mr. Wittman, and Mrs. Miller-Meeks) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
April 2, 2026
Additional sponsors: Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Crank, and Mrs. Hinson
April 2, 2026
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on November 17, 2025]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the dollar amounts for the payment of certain disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation under the laws administered by the Secretary.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026”.
SEC. 2. Increase in rates of certain disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation under laws administered by Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(a) Increase to rates of wartime disability compensation.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1114 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(u) In the case of a veteran eligible for a monthly aid and attendance allowance under subsection (r) or subsection (t) of this section, the Secretary shall, in addition to the total amount of compensation for which the veteran is eligible under this section, pay the veteran a supplemental monthly allowance at the rate of $833.33.”.
(b) Increase to rates of dependency and indemnity compensation.—Section 5312 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(d) (1) Whenever there is an increase in benefit amounts payable under title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) as a result of a determination made under section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)), the Secretary shall, except as provided in paragraph (2), effective on the date of such increase in benefit amounts, increase the dollar amounts in effect for the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation by the Secretary under paragraph (1) and paragraph (3) of section 1311(a) of this title, as such amounts were in effect immediately before the date of such increase in benefit amounts payable under title II of the Social Security Act, by a percentage equal to the sum of—
“(2) After the first increase under paragraph (1) to the dollar amounts in effect for the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation by the Secretary under paragraph (1) and paragraph (3) of section 1311(a) of this title, the Secretary shall carry out paragraph (1)(B) by substituting ‘one half of one percent’ for ‘one percent’.
“(3) Whenever there is an increase under paragraph (1) in amounts in effect for the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation, the Secretary shall publish such amounts, as increased pursuant to such paragraph, in the Federal Register at the same time as the material required by section 215(i)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(2)(D)) is published by reason of a determination under section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)).
“(4) The requirement to increase, pursuant to paragraph (1), the amounts in effect for the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation under paragraph (1) and paragraph (3) of section 1311 (a) of this title by the Secretary shall—
SEC. 3. Modification of waivers of fees collected for housing loans guaranteed, insured, or made by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Section 3729(b)(2) of such title is amended, in the loan fee table—
SEC. 4. Extension of certain limits on payments of pension.
Section 5503(d)(7) of such title is amended by striking “January 31, 2033” and inserting “September 30, 2036”.
SEC. 5. Home affordability for Guard and Reserve.
(b) Eligibility of certain members of the reserve components and the National Guard for guaranteed housing loans.—
(1) EXPANDED DEFINITION OF active duty FOR PURPOSES OF HOUSING LOANS.—Section 3701(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(9) The term ‘active duty’ has the meanings as follows:
“(A) In the case of members of the regular components of the Armed Forces, the meaning given such term in section 101(21)(A).
“(B) In the case of members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces—
“(i) service on active duty (as defined in section 101(d) of title 10), inactive-duty training (as defined in section 101(d) of title 10), or annual training duty; or
“(ii) service on active duty under a call or order to active duty under section 688, 12301(a), 12301(d), 12301(g), 12301(h), 12302, 12304, 12304a, or 12304b of title 10 or section 713 of title 14, but not including inactive duty training (as defined in section 101(d) of title 10) or annual training duty.
“(C) In the case of a member of the Army National Guard of the United States or Air National Guard of the United States, in addition to service described in subparagraph (B), full-time service—
“(i) in the National Guard of a State for the purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the National Guard;
(c) Expansion of eligibility for guaranteed housing loans to certain additional personnel upon payment of additional loan fee.—
(1) EXPANSION TO INDIVIDUALS WITH AT LEAST 14 DAYS OF SERVICE.—Section 3701(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after paragraph (7) the following new paragraph:
(2) BASIC ENTITLEMENT.—Section 3702(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(3) ADDITIONAL LOAN FEE FOR SUCH INDIVIDUALS.—Section 3729(b)(4) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(J) In the case of a housing loan in which the veteran has eligibility under section 3701(b)(8) of this title and does not otherwise have eligibility, the loan fee table in paragraph (2) shall be applied to the veteran or other obligor (as applicable) by adding 1.00 to the percentage in the table.”.
(4) NOTIFICATION TO PERSONNEL.—The Secretary of Veteran Affairs shall provide information about this benefit to the Secretary of Defense to ensure that each member of a reserve component or a member of the Army National Guard of the United States or Air National Guard of the United States who completes entry level and skill training (as defined in section 3301(3) of title 38, United States Code) after the date of the enactment of this Act is notified of their eligibility for housing loan benefits under chapter 37 of such title, including eligibility (subject to the additional loan fee) under section 3701(b)(8) of such title.
Union Calendar No. 497 | |||||
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[Report No. 119–577] | |||||
A BILL | |||||
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the dollar amounts for the payment of certain disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation under the laws administered by the Secretary. | |||||
April 2, 2026 | |||||
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed |