Sergeant Gary Beikirch Medal of Honor Act This bill allows a surviving spouse of a Medal of Honor recipient to receive a special pension concurrently with dependency and indemnity compensation.
This bill authorizes certain Purple Heart recipients to elect to transfer to one or more eligible dependents (e.g., a spouse or child) unused portions of such recipients’ entitlement to Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance. This authority specifically applies to veterans who are awarded the Purple Heart for service in the Armed Forces occurring on or after September 11, 2001, and who have been discharged or released from active service.Under the bill, the total number of months of entitlement transferred by a Purple Heart recipient may not exceed 36 months. Additionally, the Purple Heart recipient may modify or revoke any unused portion of the transferred entitlement by submitting written notice to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD).A transferred entitlement may not be treated as marital property or marital assets in divorce or other civil proceedings.The death of the Purple Heart recipient must not affect the use of the entitlement by the individual who receives the transferred entitlement.In the event of an overpayment of educational assistance, the Purple Heart recipient and the transferee of the entitlement must be held jointly and severally liable for the amount.The bill requires the VA and DOD to coordinate to facilitate the transfer of entitlements under the bill.
Next of Kin Collections Protection Act of 2025This bill modifies the effective date of a reduction or discontinuance of a Department of Veterans Affairs pension under an existing rating or decision in cases where the payee has died. Specifically, the bill provides that the effective date of a reduction or discontinuance of a pension that is under an existing rating or decision must be the last day of the month in which the death of the payee occurs.
Purple Heart Veterans Education Act of 2025This bill authorizes certain Purple Heart recipients to elect to transfer to one or more eligible dependents (e.g., a spouse or child) unused portions of such recipients’ entitlement to Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance. This authority specifically applies to veterans who are awarded the Purple Heart for service in the Armed Forces occurring on or after September 11, 2001, and who have been discharged or released from active service.Under the bill, the total number of months of entitlement transferred by a Purple Heart recipient may not exceed 36 months. Additionally, the Purple Heart recipient may modify or revoke any unused portion of the transferred entitlement by submitting written notice.A transferred entitlement may not be treated as marital property or marital assets in divorce or other civil proceedings.The death of the Purple Heart recipient must not affect the use of the entitlement by the individual who receives the transferred entitlement.In the event of an overpayment of educational assistance, the Purple Heart recipient and the transferee of the entitlement must be held jointly and severally liable for the amount.The bill requires the VA and DOD to coordinate to facilitate the transfer of entitlements under the bill.
Vaccine Discharge Parity Act This bill ensures that members of the Armed Forces who were granted a general discharge under honorable conditions (on the sole basis that the members failed to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID-19) are eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty and Post-9/11 GI Bill programs. The bill also extends certain loan fee rates through March 1, 2031, under the VA's home loan program.
Veterans' True Choice Act of 2025This bill allows covered veterans to receive coverage under TRICARE Select, a health care program of the Department of Defense (DOD). Veterans covered by this bill include those with service-connected disabilities, former prisoners of war, Purple Heart recipients, Medal of Honor recipients, those discharged from service due to disability, and those entitled to disability compensation.The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must reimburse DOD's costs of enrolling eligible veteran beneficiaries in the program.A covered veteran may not concurrently receive medical care from DOD and the VA.
Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act This bill modifies provisions related to military retired pay. Specifically, the bill authorizes veterans with a service-connected disability of less than 50% to concurrently receive both retired pay and disability compensation. The bill also makes qualified disability retirees with less than 20 years of retirement-creditable service eligible for concurrent receipt, subject to specified reductions in retired pay.
Korean American Vietnam Allies Long Overdue for Relief Act or the Korean American VALOR Act This bill expands eligibility for specified Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits (e.g., medical and dental care) to certain veterans of the armed forces of South Korea who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or during a time period determined by the VA. The bill authorizes the VA to furnish such benefits under an existing law, which requires (1) a request by South Korea, and (2) a reciprocity agreement that provides for reimbursement of expenses incurred by the VA for the provision of care.
Modern GI Bill Act This bill authorizes individuals who are entitled to educational assistance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill to apply amounts of such assistance to repay federal student loans for up to 36 months. The bill sets a cap and annual cost-of-living increases for the amount of educational assistance that may be paid to an individual under this bill during FY2024 and the following years.
Time of Service Act This bill adjusts the time limitation on the use of a veteran's educational assistance entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Specifically, veterans' entitlements shall not expire for those who were discharged or released from active duty on or after January 1, 2001.
Veterans Cannabis Use for Safe Healing Act This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from denying a veteran any VA benefit due to participation in a state-approved marijuana program. For veterans participating in these approved programs, the VA must ensure its health care providers (1) discuss marijuana use with such veterans and adjust treatment plans accordingly, and (2) record such use in the veterans' medical records. Under the bill, the VA shall authorize physicians and other VA health care providers to provide recommendations to veterans who are residents of states with approved programs.
Lead by Example Act of 2023 This bill provides that, beginning January 3, 2025, the only health care plan the federal government may make available to Members of Congress and congressional staff shall be health care provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). By September 15, 2023, the VA and the Office of Personnel Management shall jointly submit to Congress a plan to carry out this bill, including recommendations for any necessary legislative actions.
Return Home to Housing Act This bill increases the maximum rate of per diem payments provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to entities (i.e., grant recipients or authorized entities) that furnish services and transitional housing to homeless veterans. The bill also specifies that the VA may adjust the per diem rate in response to an emergency.
Be Ready to Assist Veterans in Extremis Act or the BRAVE Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a patient outreach system under which it must ensure that veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system and have experienced a traumatic or highly stressful event may elect to receive information and resources relating to mental health and available mental health care services. The VA must coordinate the system with the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense.