House lawmakers are preparing to consider two veterans bills that could affect VA disability compensation, survivor benefits, VA home loan eligibility, and veterans placed in the VA fiduciary program.
On May 19, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost spoke before the House Rules Committee in support of H.R. 6047, the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026, and H.R. 1041, the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act. The Rules Committee meeting was scheduled to set the terms for House floor debate on the bills.
H.R. 6047 Would Add Payments for Catastrophically Disabled Veterans
One of the most significant provisions in H.R. 6047 would create a new monthly supplemental allowance for certain catastrophically disabled veterans.
The bill would add $833.33 per month for veterans who qualify for a monthly aid and attendance allowance under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r) or § 1114(t). These are among the most serious VA disability categories and generally involve veterans who need regular assistance with daily living or have severe service-connected disabilities. The new payment would take effect December 1, 2026, if the bill becomes law.
According to Chairman Bost’s remarks, roughly 7,000 veterans could qualify for the added benefit, with the proposal providing about $10,000 more per year to help families manage the costs of catastrophic injuries.
Survivor Benefits Would Also Increase
H.R. 6047 would also increase certain Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, or DIC, payments for surviving family members of veterans.
DIC is a tax-free VA benefit paid to eligible survivors when a veteran dies from a service-connected condition or meets other qualifying criteria. Under the bill, DIC payments under specific sections of the law would receive the normal Social Security-linked cost-of-living increase, plus an additional 1% for the first increase and 0.5% for the second increase. The provision would apply beginning December 1, 2026, and would end after the second increase.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the DIC adjustment would increase average monthly DIC payments by about $23 in 2027, about $34 in 2028, and about $42 by 2036. CBO estimated the provision would increase DIC outlays by $3 billion from 2026 through 2036.
VA Home Loan Eligibility Could Expand for Guard and Reserve Members
The bill also includes the Home Affordability for Guard and Reserve Act, which would expand VA home loan eligibility for certain Guard and Reserve members.
Under current law, many reservists must complete six years in the Selected Reserve or meet active-duty service requirements to qualify for a VA-backed home loan. H.R. 6047 would count certain reserve-component service, including inactive-duty training and annual training, toward eligibility. It would also allow some members with at least 14 days of qualifying active-duty service to access VA home loan benefits, subject to an additional 1% loan fee if they do not otherwise qualify.
CBO estimated that about 1,600 reservists per year would obtain VA-guaranteed home loans because of the bill’s reserve-duty changes.
Some VA Loan Fees Would Increase or Be Extended
H.R. 6047 is not only a benefit-expansion bill. It also includes funding offsets tied to VA home loan fees and pension rules.
The bill would extend current VA home loan funding fee rates through September 30, 2036. It would also increase certain refinancing loan fees from 0.5% to 1.4% and certain loan assumption fees from 0.5% to 1.0%. CBO estimated these home loan fee changes would reduce direct spending by $4 billion over the 2026–2036 period.
For veterans and military families, this means the bill could expand access for some Guard and Reserve members while making certain VA refinance or assumption transactions more expensive.
H.R. 1041 Addresses Veterans in the VA Fiduciary Program
The second bill, H.R. 1041, focuses on veterans assigned a VA fiduciary.
VA may appoint a fiduciary when a beneficiary is found unable to manage VA benefits on their own. H.R. 1041 would prohibit VA from sending personally identifiable information to the Department of Justice for use in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System solely because VA determined that a beneficiary needs a fiduciary.
CBO summarized the bill by explaining that VA could not report a person to NICS solely because a fiduciary manages that person’s VA benefits. However, VA could still make a report if a judge finds that the person poses a danger to themselves or others
What Veterans Should Watch Next
Neither bill should be treated as final until it passes both chambers of Congress and is signed into law. Veterans should watch for House floor votes, possible amendments, Senate action, and final VA implementation guidance.
For now, H.R. 6047 matters most for catastrophically disabled veterans receiving high-level aid and attendance, surviving spouses and families receiving DIC, and Guard or Reserve members seeking VA home loan eligibility. H.R. 1041 matters most for veterans in the VA fiduciary program who are concerned about how benefit-management determinations affect their rights.
Veterans Guide Can Help
Changes in veterans law can affect monthly compensation, survivor benefits, VA home loan eligibility, and the long-term strategy behind a disability claim. Veterans Guide helps veterans understand their VA disability options, pursue higher ratings, appeal denied claims, and navigate benefits questions with confidence.
If you believe your VA rating is too low, your claim was wrongly denied, or your family may qualify for survivor benefits, contact Veterans Guide for help reviewing your options.
