Sponsors (5)
The bill strengthens identity verification for high-risk VA phone transactions to reduce fraud and protect beneficiaries' privacy and benefits, at the cost of implementation expenses and potential access or service delays for users without reliable MFA access or if the system is poorly rolled out.
Veterans (and other beneficiaries) are less likely to have benefits or funds diverted because VA phone centers will require multi-factor authentication (MFA) for high-risk transactions, reducing fraud and financial loss.
Veterans and people with disabilities face lower risk of sensitive personal information being disclosed over the phone because identity verification for high-impact requests is strengthened.
VA phone operations will have improved cybersecurity posture and fewer impersonation incidents, reducing administrative burden on staff and improving overall case integrity.
Veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities who lack reliable access to MFA methods (phone, email, or authenticator apps) may face delays or inability to complete high-impact transactions by phone.
If MFA is poorly implemented it could create longer call times and added administrative complexity, slowing service for veterans seeking urgent assistance.
The VA will incur implementation and training costs to deploy MFA systems, which could require reallocation of resources or increased spending borne by taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires VA call centers to use multi-factor authentication for "high-impact" actions to verify caller identity and authorization.
Requires VA call centers to use multi-factor authentication (MFA) when handling “high-impact” veteran or beneficiary actions to verify a caller’s identity and confirm they are authorized to take the requested action. "High-impact" is defined as actions where an impersonator could cause real, durable harm (examples include diverting funds, changing account access, or disclosing sensitive information).
Official title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to require call centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs to use multi-factor identification to verify the identity of callers in connection with high-impact veteran or beneficiary actions, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 25, 2026 by Barry Moore · Last progress February 25, 2026