What does Preamble of Take Care of America’s Veterans Act do?

This bill, formally titled 'To amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, and other Federal laws, to improve benefits for veterans and the administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs,' aims to improve benefits for veterans. The bill intends to modify titles 10 and 38 of the United States Code, as well as other federal laws.

What does MAJOR RICHARD STAR ACT. of Take Care of America’s Veterans Act do?

This section amends Title 10, United States Code, Section 1414 to modify rules regarding concurrent receipt of retired pay and veterans' disability compensation. It establishes new paragraphs (2) within Section 1414(b) to address combat-related disability retirees. The rules differ based on whether the retiree has 20 years or more of service or less than 20 years of service. Career retirees with 20 or more years of service and a combat-related disability may receive both retired pay and veterans' disability compensation without regard to certain restrictions. Retirees with less than 20 years of service may receive the lesser of their retired pay and veterans' disability compensation, or a calculated amount based on retired pay base and multiplier. The definition of 'combat-related disability' is referenced from subsection (e) of section 1413a of this title. The section also makes technical and conforming amendments to other sections of Title 10, including coordination with the combat-related special compensation program. The amendments are set to take effect on January 1, 2027, and apply to payments for months beginning on or after that date.

What does LOVE LIVES ON ACT. of Take Care of America’s Veterans Act do?

This section modifies entitlement to Veterans Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for surviving spouses who remarry. It amends provisions related to the Survivor Benefit Plan for certain surviving spouses who remarry, particularly those who die on active duty. The legislation expands the definition of a dependent under the TRICARE program to include remarried widows or widowers whose subsequent marriage has ended. Remarriage will not bar the furnishing of benefits under sections 1311 or 1562 of title 38 for surviving spouses. The Secretary may not terminate payment of an annuity for a surviving spouse described in section 1448(d)(1) solely because that surviving spouse remarries. For surviving spouses who remarried before reaching age 55 and before the date of the enactment of Take Care of America's Veterans Act, the Secretary shall resume payment of the annuity.

What does EXTENSION OF INCREASED DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION of Take Care of America’s Veterans Act do?

This section amends Section 1311(a)(2) of Title 38, United States Code, concerning dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses of veterans. The amendment adds a new subparagraph (B) to treat veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as eligible for increased compensation regardless of the duration of their ALS prior to death. The new subparagraph (B) applies to veterans who die from ALS on or after October 1, 2022.

What does SHARRI BRILEY AND ERIC EDMUNDSON VETERANS BENEFITS EXPANSION of Take Care of America’s Veterans Act do?

This section amends title 38 of the United States Code to increase rates of certain disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation. It establishes a supplemental monthly allowance of $833.33 for veterans eligible for aid and attendance allowances, effective December 1, 2026. The law mandates increases in dependency and indemnity compensation based on increases in Social Security Act benefit amounts, also effective December 1, 2026, with a termination date after the third increase. It modifies loan fee waivers for housing loans guaranteed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, increasing certain fees. The legislation expands eligibility for guaranteed housing loans to certain members of the reserve components and National Guard, including those with at least 14 days of active duty service. It requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to notify relevant personnel about their eligibility for housing loan benefits.

What does CLAIMS: PROHIBITION ON DENIAL SOLELY FOR CERTAIN REASON; of Take Care of America’s Veterans Act do?

This section amends 38 U.S.C. § 5103A to prohibit denying claims solely based on a veteran's failure to appear for a medical examination. It requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit an annual report on the length of adjudications, including remand times and motions filed under section 7107(b). The Secretary must also track information on various claim types, including continuously pursued claims and those remanded by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The Board of Veterans' Appeals is granted authority to aggregate appeals involving common questions of law or fact. The Secretary is required to ensure substantial compliance with decisions to remand claims and to notify employees of avoidable deferrals. A study is mandated to identify issues where General Counsel opinions could improve consistency in decisions and address inconsistencies in past opinions.

What does ANNUAL REPORT ON CAUSES OF DEATH AMONG VETERANS. of Take Care of America’s Veterans Act do?

This section amends Title 38 of the United States Code to require the Secretary to submit an annual report on causes of death among veterans. The report must include data on veterans who died during the reporting period, including whether they had a service-connected disability rated as total. The report must identify the primary and secondary causes of death, and the manner of death, for each veteran. The report will also state the total number of veterans who died from each primary cause of death and in each manner of death. This section is set to terminate five years after the enactment of the Take Care of America's Veterans Act.

What does PLAN FOR USE OF AUTOMATION TOOLS TO PROCESS CLAIMS UNDER LAWS of Take Care of America’s Veterans Act do?

This section requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a plan within one year of the Act's enactment detailing how to utilize an automation tool to process claims. The automation tool, developed for the Compensation Service, automates tasks such as retrieving records, compiling evidence, providing decision support, sharing information, and generating correspondence. The plan must analyze the feasibility, benefits, modifications, and collaboration needs related to using the automation tool across various Department elements. Priority for implementing the tool will be given to specific services including the Compensation Service, Pension and Fiduciary Service, Education Service, and the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. The Secretary must implement policies to ensure claims processors are notified and assigned to address increases in dependency compensation or educational assistance for children of veterans. The Secretary must also submit a plan to ensure documents in the Veterans Benefits Management System are correctly labeled, including when using automation tools.

What does REFORMS RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS DISABILITY of Take Care of America’s Veterans Act do?

This section directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to revise disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus. For sleep apnea, a 0% rating is assigned when asymptomatic, 10% when treatment yields incomplete relief, 50% when treatment is ineffective or unusable due to comorbid conditions and there is no end-organ damage, and 100% when end-organ damage is present. A comorbid condition that impedes treatment use is defined as one that, in the opinion of a qualified medical provider, directly impedes or prevents the use of a recognized treatment. Tinnitus generally cannot be assigned a separate disability rating, except when associated with service-connected hearing loss that is otherwise noncompensable. These revisions apply to claims filed after the Act's enactment. Existing compensation ratings will not be reduced or adversely affected by these revisions.

What does IMPROVEMENTS TO TEMPORARY LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACT of Take Care of America’s Veterans Act do?

This section amends Section 504 of the Veterans’ Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 to modify requirements for temporary licensure of contract health care professionals performing medical disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The amendment defines a qualifying health care professional as one eligible for appointment within the Veterans Health Administration, holding a current and unrestricted license, and not barred from practice in any state or territory. Expenses related to these examinations, including travel, will be reimbursed from funds available for the Veterans Benefits Administration and information technology systems. The Secretary is required to establish a mechanism for health care professionals to transmit evidence introduced by applicants during examinations to veterans' claims files. The sunset date for the amendment is extended to September 30, 2033. The definition of covered professionals is broadened from specific roles to 'health care professionals'. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must submit a report to Congress within 15 months of the Act's enactment, detailing the use of the temporary amendment authority, including the number of examinations, costs, timeliness, and legal adequacy.

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Take Care of America’s Veterans Act

Last updated: 6/23/2026 · Introduced: 6/10/2026

Author: Mike Bost (R-IL)

TL;DR (AI)

The bill modifies rules for concurrent receipt of retired pay and veterans' disability compensation, allowing certain retirees to receive both without restrictions.
It expands eligibility for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for surviving spouses who remarry and ensures benefits are not terminated due to remarriage.
The legislation increases rates of disability compensation and establishes a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans requiring aid and attendance.
It prohibits denying claims solely based on a veteran's failure to appear for a medical examination and mandates annual reporting on claims processing times.
The bill establishes a pilot program to provide grants for service dogs to eligible veterans and requires the Secretary to ensure timely access to care for veterans in rural areas.
It mandates the establishment of lactation spaces in all VA medical centers and requires annual reporting on compliance with this requirement.
The legislation directs the Secretary to submit various reports to Congress on health care access, quality of care, and improvements in the Department of Veterans Affairs' operations.

119th Congressin committeeHR. 785(In Committee)Official page

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