Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Last progress January 23, 2025 (1 year ago)
Introduced on January 23, 2025 by Rafael Edward Cruz
Raises the Department of Veterans Affairs special monthly pension for living Medal of Honor recipients to $8,333.33 per month and updates related statutory wording about amounts payable to surviving spouses. The bill also records congressional findings that Medal of Honor recipients are the nation’s highest military awardees and that the increase is substantial and historic. The text shown removes a sentence terminator to permit further statutory text, but that additional language was not included in the excerpt.
The Medal of Honor is the highest and most prestigious military decoration of the United States.
To earn the Medal of Honor, the deed of the person must be so outstanding that it clearly distinguishes his gallantry beyond the call of duty from lesser forms of bravery.
The actions of Medal of Honor recipients inspire bravery and the willingness to give all in those who serve and those who will serve in the future.
Those listed on the Medal of Honor Roll exemplify the best traits of members of the Armed Forces and continue a long and proud lineage of people who went beyond the call of duty.
Pursuant to section 1562 of title 38, United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall pay monthly to each living person whose name has been entered on the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Medal of Honor Roll a special pension.
Medal of Honor Act
Updated 2 hours ago
Last progress December 1, 2025 (2 months ago)
Primary affected groups: living Medal of Honor recipients (direct and immediate beneficiaries) will see their monthly special pension raised to $8,333.33. Surviving spouses are affected by revised statutory wording that could change eligibility or payment mechanics depending on the omitted additional text. The Department of Veterans Affairs will implement the higher monthly payments and handle any administrative updates. Federal mandatory outlays (VA pension payments) will increase, producing an ongoing fiscal impact; the excerpt does not include a score or estimate of that cost. Veterans organizations and the broader veterans community will likely view the change as a benefits increase honoring distinguished recipients. Because the excerpt lacks an effective date or transitional rules, timing and any retroactivity are unclear. Impact on state or local governments is minimal; this is a federal veterans benefit change. Tax policy, appropriations processes, and unrelated federal programs are not altered by the provided text.