Veterans

HR 327, the Valor Earned Not Stolen Act of 2025, increases criminal penalties for falsely claiming military medals or decorations. It raises the maximum prison sentence from one year to three years for fraudulent misrepresentation of receiving military decorations, the Congressional Medal of Honor, or combat badges under federal law. The bill also requires the Attorney General to study how individuals fraudulently obtain government benefits using fake military honors and report findings to Congress within 180 days. This law directly affects individuals who falsely claim military service honors and aims to address fraud in benefit programs.

This bill provides continuing appropriations for federal government operations through October 31, 2025, ensuring that agencies can maintain essential services without interruption. It authorizes funding for departments including Defense, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, and Transportation, while extending specific programs like community health centers, Medicare services, and veterans' benefits. Key provisions include maintaining funding levels for existing programs, extending deadlines for various health and human services initiatives through October 2025, and providing specific amounts for programs like the WIC food assistance program. The bill also includes numerous extensions for programs that would otherwise expire, such as the National Health Service Corps and certain Medicare payment adjustments. This continuing resolution prevents government shutdowns by providing temporary funding until a full fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill can be enacted.

This bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded posthumously to all African American soldiers and sailors who served with Union forces during the Civil War, specifically recognizing the United States Colored Troops (USCT) and African American Navy personnel. The medal, to be struck by the U.S. Treasury, will be presented collectively to honor their service and bravery, with the original medal then given to the Smithsonian Institution for public display. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover costs, and all medals are designated as national medals under federal law. The bill directly affects historical recognition of approximately 200,000 USCT soldiers and 19,000 African American Navy personnel who served despite systemic discrimination.

This bill amends the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to exclude military retirement pay from income calculations for railroad unemployment benefits. Specifically, it adds an exception preventing military retirement pay (defined as a "qualified military benefit" under tax law) from being counted as income when determining eligibility or benefit amounts. The change directly affects veterans receiving military retirement pay who apply for railroad unemployment insurance. It modifies a specific provision in existing law without creating new benefits or altering other veterans' entitlements.

This bill permits military retirees and veterans receiving 100% disability compensation (under 38 U.S.C. §1114) to contribute a portion of their retired pay or disability benefits to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). It applies only to individuals who already held a TSP account before separating from service. The bill requires the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, with Defense and Veterans Affairs, to issue implementing regulations within 180 days of enactment. This creates a new pathway for these veterans to grow retirement savings using their existing benefit payments.

This bill's title ("Protecting Gold Star Spouses Act of 2025") is misleading, as the text actually addresses Coast Guard retirement benefits, not Gold Star spouses. The bill provides continuing annual appropriations for the Coast Guard Retired Serviceman’s Family Protection and Survivor Benefits Plans, ensuring funding at the rate established under the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act. It specifies that these funds are available for fiscal years after 2024, with mechanisms to adjust funding if future appropriations bills are enacted. The bill does not create new benefits or directly affect Gold Star spouses, as its title suggests, but instead manages existing Coast Guard retirement funding streams.

HR 3384, the Refinancing Relief for Veterans Act, lowers loan fees for veterans refinancing their VA-backed mortgages during specific time periods. It reduces the upfront fee for interest rate reduction refinancing loans to 0.25% for loans closed between December 31, 2025, and December 31, 2027, down from the previous rate. The bill maintains a 0.50% fee for loans closed in other specified periods (2025-2027, 2032-2035, and after 2035), while setting a 0.75% fee for loans closed between 2032 and 2035. This directly affects veterans who choose to refinance their VA-guaranteed home loans during the defined date ranges.

HR 658 amends veterans' healthcare law to set specific qualifications for marriage and family therapists working in the Veterans Health Administration who provide clinical supervision. It requires therapists to meet existing qualifications (subparagraph A) and either hold state authorization for clinical supervision in their state or be designated as an approved supervisor by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). This directly affects therapists seeking VA appointments who wish to supervise other clinicians. The bill creates two clear pathways for eligibility, replacing previous unspecified requirements. The change applies only to VA healthcare settings, not private practice.

Fighting for the Overlooked Recognition of Groups Operating in Toxic Test Environments in Nevada (FORGOTTEN) Veterans Act of 2025 This bill requires increased Department of Defense (DOD) documentation related to toxic exposures by military personnel and establishes eligibility for certain disability compensation and benefits for individuals who served at the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). DOD must (1) expand the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record to include specified medical information and document all toxic exposures of members of the Armed Forces, and (2) document in service records whether a member of the Armed Forces served at a location with potential toxic exposure. Members of the Armed Forces and civilian DOD employees who are or have been stationed at specified nuclear facilities must be presumed to have been exposed to toxic substances. DOD must classify the NTTR as a location where contamination occurred and the Department of the Air Force must identify those who have been stationed there since January 27, 1951. The bill establishes that onsite participation on or after January 27, 1951, at NTTR locations where there was a potential of toxic exposure is a radiation-risk activity, therefore providing a presumption of service-connection for specified conditions. The bill also establishes a presumption of toxic exposure for veterans who performed active service at NTTR locations with potential toxic exposure, including airspace above such locations. Additionally, lipomas and tumor related conditions must be considered as service-connected conditions for veterans who served at the NTTR locations.

This bill increases federal crop insurance subsidies for beginning farmers/ranchers and veteran farmers/ranchers. It updates eligibility definitions: "beginning" now requires less than 10 years of farming (previously 5 years), and veteran eligibility requires 10 crop years (previously 5 years). The key change boosts premium assistance, adding 15 percentage points for the first two years of coverage, 13 for the third, 11 for the fourth, and 10 for years five through ten. These adjustments directly affect new and veteran agricultural producers by lowering their insurance costs during critical early years.