House Republicans Withdraw Military Benefits Legislation Amid Veterans Group Division
House GOP pulls military benefits bill – House Republican leadership announced Thursday that they would halt a vote on a comprehensive military benefits package. The legislation, known as the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act (TCAVA), would fund expanded compensation for veterans through reductions in certain future disability claims. This controversial approach has created a split within the veterans community.
GOP leaders encountered resistance during a Democratic-led procedural vote designed to return the bill to committee. Four Republicans made the uncommon choice to side with Democrats, indicating insufficient support for passing the underlying legislation. Had the procedural motion failed, Democrats would have gained the ability to introduce an amendment eliminating several cost-saving measures related to Veterans Affairs home loan program fees and benefits for veterans suffering from tinnitus and sleep apnea.
Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and other Republican leaders gathered with some of the holdouts in an office near the House floor. They kept the vote open while attempting to persuade the lawmakers to change their positions. Following one such meeting, Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida stated clearly: “I’m not going to cut veteran’s benefits.”
Three Republicans ultimately kept their affirmative votes: Luna, Representative Max Miller from Ohio, and Representative Jeff Van Drew from New Jersey. Meanwhile, Republican Representative Victoria Spartz of Indiana eventually reversed her position to oppose the Democratic motion, enabling Republican leaders to secure victory on the procedural vote.
Despite this procedural win, leadership immediately removed the bill from the House floor. Representative Van Drew explained that the failed vote demonstrated the legislation was not yet prepared for passage.
“It has good provisions, but paying for them by reducing disability compensation for veterans with service-related health issues is the wrong approach. We can, and must, do better. Start by passing the Major Richard Star Act,” the New Jersey lawmaker wrote on social media after the vote.
Comprehensive Package with Broad Support
The substantial military benefits package encompasses more than sixty individual bills and contains provisions that have generally received backing from veterans organizations nationwide. This includes the Major Richard Star Act, which would simultaneously provide medically retired service members with both retirement pay and VA disability benefits.
Representative Mike Bost of Illinois, who chairs the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and has championed the package, built support for the measure on Tuesday outside of Congress alongside numerous veterans organizations. These included Vietnam Veterans of America, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, and the Wounded Warrior Project.
“The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act Delivers on the promise we have made to put veterans — not big government — back in charge. The bill builds on the CHOICE Act and the MISSION Act to expand vitally important healthcare access so they can get the best healthcare – close to home, and without delay,” Bost said on Tuesday. “This bill also increases benefits for severely disabled veterans, like our friend Army veteran Eric Edmundson, and his family who are fulltime caregivers.”
The Major Richard Star Act, when considered as a standalone measure, enjoys support from nearly eighty senators and more than three hundred twenty House members. It has long remained a priority among veterans advocates. However, the legislation, which receives backing from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, faced obstruction in the fall and earlier this year due to cost considerations.
The VA plans to reduce veterans’ disability compensation concerning tinnitus and sleep apnea. These funds would normally go to the Treasury Department, but the TCAVA would redirect them to finance new benefits.
“Leadership is about carefully evaluating the facts, making difficult decisions, and accepting responsibility for those decisions. That has defined The American Legion for more than 107 years,” American Legion Government Affairs Executive Director Mario Marquez said Tuesday. “Leadership, though, also requires more than identifying problems. It requires offering solutions. After years of working alongside dedicated organizations and advocates who have devoted their entire professional lives to serve America’s veterans, The American Legion believes this legislation represents the strongest path forward.”
Veterans groups and Democrats in Congress who oppose the massive package argue that it would finance veterans’ benefits by eliminating benefits for those same veterans in the future.
“This reduction would come in the form of devastating cuts for millions of veterans currently eligible to receive disability benefits for tinnitus and sleep apnea,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), ranking members in the chamber, stated.
