Rules Committee Hearing H.R.1041, H.R.6047, H.R.1329

The House Rules Committee convened on May 20, 2026, to consider three key bills: HR 1041 (Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act), HR 6047 (Sharie Bryley and Eric Edmonson Veterans Benefit Expansion Act), and HR 1329 (Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act). The committee discussed provisions related to veterans' benefits, including an additional $10,000 annual compensation for severely disabled veterans and expanded eligibility for VA home loans for National Guard and Reserve members. A significant point of contention was the bill's funding mechanism, which proposed raising fees on veterans refinancing their homes to offset benefit increases, drawing criticism from Democrats who argued this unfairly burdens veterans facing financial distress. The Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act aimed to protect veterans' gun rights by preventing automatic reporting to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System solely based on fiduciary assignments without due process. The Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act was debated for its changes from a previously bipartisan bill, including granting the president authority over site selection and adding provisions perceived as politically motivated. The committee approved closed rules for all three bills, allowing them to proceed to the House floor. Several amendments related to funding offsets and reporting provisions were proposed but ultimately rejected. The meeting also included discussions on a proposed amendment to prohibit federal funds from compensating January 6 rioters, which was not adopted. Overall, the session focused heavily on veterans' benefits funding, Second Amendment rights for veterans, and the authorization and control of the Women's History Museum project.