VA Overhaul Package Sparks Fight Over Benefits, Workforce, and $57 Billion in Cuts
Congressional Republicans are trying to push a collection of bills to overhaul parts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through Congress. While supporters say it will improve veterans’ care, some Democrats and federal labor unions say the package will erode benefits and employee rights.
The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act (H.R. 9237) is a compilation of 62 bills. It has been introduced in both the House and Senate. Overall, it would cut benefits by as much as $57 billion over ten years.
House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL) said the bills will “protect healthcare access, cut out the red tape in the VA disability benefits system, advance economic opportunities, and put veterans – not government bureaucracy – back at the center of VA’s mission – for good.”
Major Richard Star Act
Among the legislation included is the Major Richard Star Act. The legislation closes a loophole and will grant full military retirement pay to veterans who were forced to retire early due to a combat injury. About 54,000 combat-wounded veterans would be impacted by the change.
While the Major Richard Star Act has broad bipartisan support, some lawmakers blocked it because it did not include proposals for covering the estimated $11 billion in costs over the next decade.
To address that, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act would accelerate updates to the VA’s rating schedule to update sleep apnea and tinnitus standards. That means some veterans with asymptomatic sleep apnea or a mild case controlled by treatment would receive a zero percent to ten percent disability rating. Tinnitus would be treated as a symptom of another condition.
Democrats accused Republicans of playing politics, noting that the Major Richard Star Act is just five votes away from securing a discharge petition to move the legislation directly to the House floor.
“The Republican plan cuts existing veterans’ benefits to fund new ones—asking the next generation of veterans to pick up the tab for the last. That’s not progress; that’s a shell game that takes money out of veterans’ pockets,” said Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), the ranking Democrat on the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
Meanwhile, federal unions are lining up in opposition. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) says the bill would convert VA psychologists to the Title 38 personnel system, cutting their collective bargaining rights.
Other Provisions
Among the dozens of other provisions in the legislation:
The Veterans ACCESS Act which requires the VA to inform veterans about their options for private healthcare when the VA doesn’t respond in a timely manner or there is no facility nearby.
The Love Lies On Act which would allow spouses of fallen servicemembers to keep their benefits if they remarry before the age of 55.
The Optimizing the VA Workforce for Veterans Act of 2025 which directs the VA to develop a blueprint to align current and future staffing levels with demands for services.
The HONOR Act which would accelerate care delivery, strengthen community care provider standards, and boost VA staffing and infrastructure.
The House could vote on the full package as soon as this week before the Independence Day recess.
