Key Takeaways
- •Members and witnesses demanded the immediate rescission of a VA rule reducing disability ratings for veterans using medication, despite Secretary Doug Collins' pledge not to enforce the regulation.
- •Coleman Nee (National Commander, Disabled American Veterans) warned against VA privatization, asserting that private providers are unequipped to handle specialized military needs like combat trauma or toxic exposures.
- •Rep. Luttrell (R, TX-8) and Rep. Mace (R, SC-1) pressed for VA research into alternative plant-based therapies and psychedelics to combat high suicide rates among veterans and spouses.
- •Rep. Takano (D, CA-39) condemned VA staffing cuts and reorganization efforts, while Rep. Mace (R, SC-1) prioritized Republican bills to increase monthly benefits for severely disabled veterans.
- •Congress faces urgent calls to pass the Major Richard Star Act and the GUARD Act to eliminate benefit offsets and protect veterans from unaccredited "claim sharks."
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Hearing Analysis
Overview
The Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs held a joint hearing on February 24, 2026, to receive the legislative priorities of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and several other prominent veteran service organizations (VSOs). The hearing served as a critical forum for VSO leaders to advocate for specific policy changes, budget priorities, and oversight of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). A central theme of the hearing was the "defining crossroads" facing the VA, with witnesses and lawmakers debating the balance between internal VA modernization and the expansion of community-based care.
Key Testimony
The first panel featured Coleman Nee, National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Commander Nee delivered a forceful defense of the VA as a "covenant" rather than a transactional system, arguing against significant privatization. He emphasized that while the VA has flaws, such as outdated infrastructure and administrative inefficiencies, the solution is reform and modernization rather than dismantling the system. He specifically highlighted the need for timely claims processing, strengthening presumptive policies for toxic exposures, and closing gaps in mental healthcare. Commander Nee and several lawmakers, including Rep. Mark Takano (D, CA-39) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), strongly criticized a recent VA interim final rule—the "Evaluative Rating Impact of Medication" rule—which would have reduced disability ratings for veterans whose conditions improved with medication. Although VA Secretary Doug Collins reportedly stated the rule would not be enforced, the VSOs and Democratic leadership called for its immediate rescission.
Overview
The second panel included representatives from a diverse array of organizations. Lieutenant General Brian Kelly, President and CEO of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), focused on the GUARD VA Benefits Act (H.R. 1139/S. 414), which aims to reinstate criminal penalties for unaccredited "claim sharks" who charge veterans for assistance with disability claims. He also advocated for the TAP Promotion Act to improve the Transition Assistance Program. Dr. Lindsay Knight of Blue Star Families highlighted the success of the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program and urged the passage of the Building Readiness and Integration for Dependents Going to Civilian Environments (BRIDGE) Act to support military families during the transition to civilian life.
Key Testimony
Tom Burke, National President of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), emphasized the sacred obligation of a full accounting for POW/MIAs and called for expanded research into the intergenerational effects of toxic exposures on the descendants of veterans. Larry Wright Jr., Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), testified on the unique challenges facing Native American veterans, advocating for advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the expansion of the Native American Direct Loan program for housing on tribal trust lands. Captain Rita Graham of the Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) addressed gender-based research gaps in the PACT Act and called for the restoration of comprehensive reproductive healthcare access for veterans. Barbara Burt of the Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., pushed for the Caring for Survivors Act (S. 611/H.R. 2055) to increase Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) rates, which she argued have not kept pace with inflation or other federal survivor benefits.
Policy Proposals
Legislative proposals dominated the discussion. There was broad, bipartisan support for the Major Richard Star Act (S. 344/H.R. 1282), which would allow combat-disabled veterans to receive both their full military retirement pay and VA disability compensation without an offset. Rep. Nancy Mace (R, SC-1), acting as Chair, highlighted the Sherry-Brierley and Eric-Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, which would provide an additional $10,000 annually to the most severely disabled veterans. Other bills discussed included the Love Lives On Act, the Veterans Access Act, and the National Veterans Strategy Act, introduced by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Sen. Blumenthal to coordinate federal and local veteran support efforts.
Notable exchanges occurred regarding alternative therapies. Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R, TX-8) issued an "all-hands muster" for VSOs to support research into psychedelic and plant-based therapies for PTSD and suicide prevention, noting that current treatments like opioids and SSRIs are often insufficient. Chairwoman Mace echoed these sentiments, citing her own experience with PTSD and the high success rates of alternative therapies in clinical settings like Johns Hopkins University.
Overview
The hearing identified several organizations for specific context: - United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): Scrutinized for its "medication rule," staffing shortages, and infrastructure needs, while being defended as a necessary, specialized institution for veteran care. - Disabled American Veterans (DAV): Presented its 2026 legislative agenda, focusing on preventing privatization and improving the claims process. - Military Officers Association of America (MOAA): Advocated for the GUARD VA Benefits Act to stop unaccredited companies from exploiting veterans. - Blue Star Families: Highlighted suicide prevention programs and the need for family-centric transition services. - Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA): Focused on POW/MIA accounting and toxic exposure research. - National Congress of American Indians (NCAI): Addressed tribal housing, IHS funding, and SNAP work requirements for native veterans. - Service Women's Action Network (SWAN): Called for gender-disaggregated data in PACT Act implementation and reproductive health access. - Gold Star Wives of America, Inc.: Praised for its advocacy for surviving spouses and criticized the current DIC benefit levels. - Black Veterans Project: Discussed the historical denial of GI Bill benefits and current racial disparities in VA disability ratings. - Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Mentioned regarding the slow pace of approving alternative therapies for PTSD. - Indian Health Service (IHS): Discussed as a primary healthcare provider for rural native veterans requiring stable funding.
The hearing concluded with a commitment from both committees to continue oversight of the VA's reorganization efforts and to push for the passage of the Major Richard Star Act and the GUARD VA Benefits Act in the current session.
Transcript
Good morning and thank you all for being here. I'm glad to be here in the Senate with Chairman Moran and Ranking Member Blumenthal. Chairman Bost wishes he could be here today, but due to travel issues caused by the recent snowstorm that we're enduring today, he could not make it here in time for the hearing. I would like to thank the DAV's National Commander, Mr. Coleman Nee, for being here today. I would also like to recognize the DAV Auxiliary National Commander, Melissa Pierce. Thank you for being here today. A special shout-out to Mr. Dan Pierce for being here as well. And I'm pleased that there are folks here from across the country, including my home state of South Carolina. Thank you for traveling through a blizzard, through the snow, to be with us here this morning. If you're from South Carolina, please stand if you're able. I'd like to see some of my folks out there. There you are. [Applause.] God bless you all and thank you for traveling here and I want to give a warm welcome to those folks. This year marks my fifth year on the committee. Veterans have always been a part of my life. I grew up around veterans, I know veterans, and they have always been part of our community and our family's community. Every time I'm on the House floor debating a bill or sitting on the dais, I'm always thinking of them and like my dad, the generations of men and women who've served, my siblings, in fact, I just had one come back from a deployment overseas in the Middle East. For me, it's always about taking care of our veteran community when they come home. I know the sacrifices of each of you have made, especially our disabled community. Each of you has fought to protect the freedoms we hold dear. I, along with my House Republican colleagues, are leading the charge to first help make life more affordable for severely disabled veterans and survivors through the Sherry-Brierley and Eric-Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act that we reported out of the committee two weeks ago. The bill would raise the monthly benefits rate for the most severely service-connected disabled veterans that require around-the-clock care by offering an additional $10,000 annually. It would also boost the monthly support payment that veteran survivors receive by an additional 1.5 percent annually over the next two years. These increases have made, haven't been made in decades. I need your support to help ensure they are not caught up in an election-year political games and that they are finally enacted. Second, ensure veterans get quality healthcare at the VA or within the community. That's why we're fighting for the Veterans Access Act, which is common-sense legislation to build and solidify the gains made in the Choice and Mission Acts. The bill would give veterans even more options in how they access their healthcare outside of the VA, especially veterans living in rural and remote areas. Third, reauthorize VA to make sure the VA's programs work for today's and tomorrow's veterans, something that has not been done in decades. The importance of the Transition Assistance Program or TAP is an area that remains a key priority for me and many of us, all of us on the VA committee. Ensuring that service members are set up for their next mission in life is not something I take lightly. Thank you to the DAV for highlighting the importance of new veterans understanding the benefits they have earned and that they deserve. We are also committed to ensuring opportunities for veterans to explore non-traditional education, whether that be through apprenticeships, on-the-job training during TAP, or the Veteran Readiness and Employment program. We must continue to focus our efforts to ensure veterans are able to find and maintain meaningful employment. The DAV plays an important role in making sure we advance common-sense proposals and conduct oversight to meet the needs of all veterans, no matter their zip code and no matter where they work. Veterans should have the choice to use the benefits VA offers in exchange for their service to meet their own needs. You know where we need to push the agency forward, not stick to the status quo. I can promise you one thing, the House, my House Republican colleagues and I will never stop fighting for you and the voices you represent, the hundreds of thousands of veterans outside the DC Beltway who just want their healthcare on time, their benefits without a headache, and to live the American dream. We take this mission seriously and I know my House and Senate Republican colleagues, as well as VA Secretary Doug Collins and President Trump do too. We made progress with the most recent NDAA and I proudly supported the following major provisions: enhancing the financial planning section of TAP to cover topics such as debt management, taxes, and investing; improving the warm handover process between VA, DOD, and DOL; allowing service members to attend TAP multiple times and encourage folks to bring their spouses along too. These things make a real difference for transitioning service members and they must have all the tools needed to prepare for their next phase of life with their family. We will continue to fight to deliver historic economic relief for all veterans, including severely disabled veterans like Eric Edmundson and survivors like Sherry Brierley. We will continue to fight to modernize the VA and its programs forward through reauthorization. We will continue to ensure veterans, no matter where they live, get the healthcare they deserve at the VA or in their community. I look forward to completing your mission alongside each and every one of you and thank you again for being here today. And with that, I will recognize Ranking Member Takano for his opening remarks.
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