The Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act of 2026 requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that every state meets a specific minimum number of mental health treatment centers within one year of enactment. For states in the contiguous United States, this minimum is calculated as the greater of one center per 30,000 square miles of land or one center per 55,000 veterans based on census data. Non-contiguous states and territories must maintain at least one center or match their existing count from January 1, 2020, whichever is higher. To achieve these targets, the Secretary may open new facilities using buildings provided by state, local, or tribal governments, and can establish outstations in place of full centers if multiple additional sites are needed in a single state.
The Veterans Housing Opportunity Act establishes a five-year pilot program that allows the Department of Housing and Urban Development to identify public housing agencies that are not effectively using their HUD-VASH vouchers. If an agency is found to be chronically underutilizing these funds, the department may take back the unused voucher assistance and redistribute it to other agencies. These reallocated vouchers must then be provided to veterans who are currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The bill requires the department to report on the program's efficiency and housing outcomes after three years, while ensuring that any veteran who receives a voucher under this pilot keeps it even if the pilot program ends.
This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Army to transfer approximately 20 acres of land at Fort Bragg in North Carolina to the state government without charge. The property is intended for the construction of a veterans' home under the jurisdiction of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The state is required to pay all costs associated with the transfer, including environmental reviews and administrative fees, with any excess prepayments refunded by the federal government. If the land is no longer used for the designated veterans' facility, ownership may revert to the United States at the Secretary's discretion.
The Virtual-Based Opioid Treatment for Veterans Act directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to launch a two-year pilot program aimed at expanding access to virtual opioid treatment for enrolled veterans who face barriers to in-person care. This initiative requires the VA to conduct outreach, build referral networks, and coordinate with other federal agencies to connect veterans with telehealth programs that combine medication and counseling in a single visit. The bill also mandates a study on treatment barriers and requires annual reports to Congress on the program's progress until the opioid crisis is no longer considered a public health emergency.
The House Our Heroes Act expands support for veterans struggling with guaranteed housing loans by allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer educational courses on credit improvement, financial management, and loss mitigation options. Additionally, the bill permits the agency to make partial claims and modify loan terms, such as interest rates and payment schedules, for specific loans that go into default between May 1, 2025, and November 28, 2026. These measures aim to provide more flexible assistance tools to help veterans avoid foreclosure or manage their debts without strictly following previous mandatory procedures.
The Veteran's Surviving Spouse Parity Act of 2026 expands eligibility for specific mortgage tax benefits to include spouses and surviving spouses of veterans who are legally treated as veterans themselves. This change allows these individuals to qualify for the three-year ownership look-back exception when purchasing qualified mortgage bonds or using mortgage credit certificates. To support this, the Department of the Treasury will work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to issue clear guidance on how to determine veteran status for these programs, including rules regarding remarriage. The new provisions will take effect for any bonds or certificates issued after December 31, 2026.
The Protecting Home-Based Care for Rural Veterans Act of 2026 aims to maintain and stabilize funding for home health services for veterans, particularly in rural areas. It requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to restore any reimbursement rates for home care services that were lowered after December 31, 2025, and prevents future rate cuts without notifying Congress at least 90 days in advance. Additionally, the bill mandates annual reports to Congress on whether there are enough care providers to meet veteran demand and identifies any regions with shortages. The legislation also requires an initial report within 90 days detailing how the VA calculates these payment rates, including the data sources and methods used.
The Protecting Home-Based Care for Rural Veterans Act of 2026 aims to safeguard funding for home health services provided to veterans living in rural areas. It requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to restore any reimbursement rates for homemaker and home health aide services that were lowered after December 31, 2025, and prevents future rate cuts without notifying Congress at least 90 days in advance. Additionally, the bill mandates annual reports to Congress detailing the availability of service providers in different regions and the methods used to calculate payment rates. A one-time report must also be submitted within 90 days of the law's enactment to explain how these rates were determined and whether input was gathered from service providers.
The AIR CARE for Vets Act of 2026 directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to run a five-year pilot program using specialized software to detect respiratory disorders and lung diseases in veterans receiving care at VA facilities. To implement this, the VA will lease FDA-approved four-dimensional functional lung imaging software from eligible developers to analyze lung function data. The program is funded with up to $25 million over five years, and the VA must submit a report to Congress two years after the pilot ends to evaluate its effectiveness.
The Servicemember Residence Protection Act of 2026 prevents a servicemember's time in military service from counting toward the legal period required to claim ownership of property through adverse possession. This change directly protects the real estate interests of uniformed service members by ensuring their service time does not contribute to losing their property rights. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to update its website with resources on securing, leasing, and managing real property while on military duty. These provisions aim to clarify and safeguard property rights for service members without altering other existing laws regarding adverse possession.
