Sponsors (23)
The bill preserves and increases veterans' VA benefits and aligns VA announcement timing with Social Security—boosting purchasing power and transparency—at the cost of modestly higher federal spending and potential administrative and timing strains for the VA.
Veterans, surviving spouses, and dependent children will receive VA disability and DIC payments that increase by the same percentage as Social Security COLAs effective Dec 1, 2025, preserving purchasing power.
Veterans receiving clothing allowances and dependent allowances will get higher fixed benefit amounts beginning Dec 1, 2025, improving their ability to cover specific needs.
VA is given authority to adjust historic statutory-rate recipients so previously excluded beneficiaries can be brought into parity with current VA rates, increasing fairness in benefit levels.
Taxpayers will face modestly higher federal spending because VA benefit payouts increase, adding to budgetary pressures.
If increases are tied only to a single 215(i) determination, future VA benefit indexing may remain inconsistent or lag other cost measures, reducing long-term alignment with actual cost changes.
The VA may face administrative strain to meet the statutory publication deadline, potentially diverting staff time and resources from other veteran services.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Raises VA disability compensation and DIC rates effective Dec 1, 2025 by the same percentage as the Social Security COLA and requires VA to publish the new amounts.
Increases VA disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) dollar amounts effective December 1, 2025 by the same percentage as the Social Security (title II) benefit increase that takes effect on that date. Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to publish the adjusted dollar amounts in the Federal Register on the same schedule used for the Social Security COLA publication during fiscal year 2026. The change applies to statutory VA benefit rates in current law and authorizes administrative adjustments for certain historical-pay-status recipients who are not currently paid under title 38, aligning VA increases with the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
Introduced July 23, 2025 by Jerry Moran · Last progress November 25, 2025