[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6047 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>





                                                 Union Calendar No. 497
119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6047

                          [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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           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]


_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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.


 


    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    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.''.
            (2) Effective date; applicability.--Subsection (u) of such 
        section (as added by paragraph (1)) shall take effect on 
        December 1, 2026, and shall apply to months beginning on or 
        after such date.
    (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--
            ``(A) the percentage by which such benefit amounts are 
        increased; and
            ``(B) one percent.
    ``(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--
            ``(A) take effect on December 1, 2026, and shall apply with 
        respect to months beginning on or after such date; and
            ``(B) terminate after the date on which the second increase 
        to such amounts pursuant to such paragraph occurs.''.

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--
            (1) by striking ``June 9, 2034'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``September 30, 2036'';
            (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``0.50'' both places 
        it appears and inserting ``1.40''; and
            (3) in subparagraph (I), by striking ``0.50'' each place it 
        appears and inserting ``1.0''.

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.

    (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Home 
Affordability for Guard and Reserve Act''.
    (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;
                            ``(ii) in the National Guard when 
                        performing full-time National Guard duty (as 
                        defined in section 101 of title 32); or
                            ``(iii) in the National Guard when 
                        performing active duty (as defined in section 
                        101 of title 32).''.
            (2) Retroactive applicability to service performed.--The 
        amendments made by this subsection shall apply with respect to 
        any service performed on or after September 11, 2001.
    (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:
            ``(8) The term `veteran' also includes, for purposes of 
        home loans (subject to the additional loan fee in section 
        3729(b)(4)(J) of this title), an individual who--
                    ``(A) is not otherwise eligible for the benefits of 
                this chapter;
                    ``(B) has completed a total service of at least 14 
                days on active duty under paragraph (B) or (C) of 
                paragraph (9); and
                    ``(C) following completion of such service, 
                continued to serve until the completion of entry level 
                and skill training (as defined in section 3301(3) of 
                this title).''.
            (2) Basic entitlement.--Section 3702(a)(2) of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
        following:
            ``(H) Each individual described in section 3701(b)(8) of 
        this title.''.
            (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

119th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 6047

                          [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