Full Committee Markup

The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a full committee markup session on February 13, 2026, focusing on several bills aimed at expanding and improving benefits for veterans, survivors, and their families. Key legislation discussed included HR6047, the Sher Riley and Eric Edmonson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026, which proposes increases in Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for severely disabled veterans and surviving spouses. The committee debated funding mechanisms, notably the proposal to offset benefit increases by raising fees associated with the VA home loan program, which sparked significant partisan disagreement. Democrats opposed fee increases on veterans and active-duty service members, advocating instead for alternative funding sources such as reallocations from other federal budgets. Additionally, the committee considered HR3482, the Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act, aimed at enhancing the VA's scheduling system for community care appointments to reduce wait times and improve access. The Veterans Caregivers Re-education, Reemployment, and Retirement Act (HR2148) was also favorably reported, providing expanded support for family caregivers transitioning out of caregiving roles. Despite partisan tensions over funding and offsets, the committee reported favorably on five bills, emphasizing the need to balance fiscal responsibility with honoring commitments to veterans and their families.