On Veterans Day, House Prepares to Keep America’s Promise to Our Heroes

Washington, D.C. – As a grateful nation comes together on Veterans Day to honor the brave men and women who’ve worn America’s uniform, we remember the promises made and the work needed to fulfill them. This week, the U.S. House of Representatives will consider the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371, which includes provisions from the FY26 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This measure reflects some of our deepest values as a country by honoring those who’ve served, fully funding veteran medical care and benefits, investing in important counseling and training programs, and preserving our national military cemeteries and memorials.
 
Our nation’s military heroes deserve our respect not only in word, but in action. This bill includes provisions critically important to supporting veterans in their daily lives – from mental health resources and homelessness prevention, to modernizing VA infrastructure, and ensuring timely access to care.
 
Importantly, by implementing full-year funding, it guarantees that those who have sacrificed for us will not be forced to endure the chaos or uncertainty brought on by government shutdowns for the remainder of the fiscal year.
 
America’s veterans stood ready for us. Now, Congress must continue to stand ready for them. This legislation keeps our promises, strengthens the care they rely on, protects the benefits they earned, and reaffirms that the nation they defended will never walk away from its obligations. It also marks strong progress on a return to regular order in the appropriations process and reflects bipartisan, bicameral negotiation. House Republicans look forward to advancing these provisions, and we hope all members will join us in doing what is right: ending uncertainty for veterans, restoring services disrupted by the shutdown, and delivering the full-year funding our heroes deserve.
 
Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee Chairman John Carter (R-TX) said, “Veterans Day reiterates what we’ve long known: among America’s greatest strengths is the long line of patriots who’ve answered the call to serve, generation after generation. Those who’ve sacrificed and willingly stood ready to defend our freedom deserve to know that the services they rely on will be there. The provisions in this bill ensure they are stable, fully funded, and uninterrupted. Our votes this week will uphold our nation’s promise to our veterans, empower their lives out of uniform, strengthen quality of life for our military families, and support the infrastructure of bases across the globe. It’s a measure that reflects our promises to our heroes—past and present.”
 
Shutdown-related disruptions to VA services that would be fully reversed under this bill:

• Regional VA benefits offices are closed, leaving veterans without in-person or virtual assistance.
• The GI Bill hotline and National Cemetery Applicant Assistance hotline are shut down, cutting off critical support for students and families.
• Grounds maintenance and permanent headstone placement are paused at national cemeteries, delaying honors owed to America’s heroes.
• Applications for pre-need burial at VA cemeteries are not being processed, leaving families without certainty in planning.
• Transition assistance and career counseling for service members are suspended, disrupting help for those moving into civilian life.
• Public affairs and veteran outreach are paused, including social media updates and Vet Resources emails that keep veterans informed.
• The VA’s Washington, D.C. office is not conducting outreach to state, local, tribal, faith-based, or community partners.
• No new Presidential Memorial Certificates are being issued, halting an important honor for the families of deceased veterans.

Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
 
Champions our veterans by:

• Fully funding veterans’ health care programs.
• Fully funding veterans’ benefits and VA programs.
• Maintaining funding levels for research, mental health programs, and other programs relied upon by veterans.
• Supporting critical investments in electronic health record modernization to create a more seamless, reliable healthcare experience for those who served and sacrificed.

Supports the Trump Administration and the mandate of the American people by: 

• Protecting the 2nd Amendment rights of veterans, preventing the VA from sending information to the FBI about veterans without a judge’s consent.
• Upholding President Trump’s efforts to combat veteran homelessness with $3.5 billion in targeted support.
• Keeping America’s promise to our veterans by advancing President Trump’s planning and design work for the “National Center for Warrior Independence,” which will provide housing, substance abuse treatment, and job training for homeless veterans.

Bolsters U.S. national security and border protections by: 

• Providing robust funding for military construction, enabling continued investment in the Indo-Pacific region and infrastructure necessary to support United States advanced weapons systems.
• Maintaining the prohibitions on the closure of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the use of military construction funds to build facilities for detainees on U.S. soil.
• Prohibiting the VA from purchasing resources directly or indirectly from the People’s Republic of China.

Bill text is available here.

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