Senate Pushback on VA Benefits: 2026 Developments

Senate Pushback on VA Benefits Update: 2026 Developments

In 2026, bipartisan Senate opposition has successfully blocked or challenged multiple proposals affecting VA benefits, including a proposed rule to reduce disability compensation for over one million veterans with tinnitus and sleep apnea, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act containing similar cuts, and efforts to pass the Major Richard Star Act for combat-injured veterans. Senators from both parties have also introduced the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2026 to ensure VA benefits keep pace with inflation .

Quick Facts

What’s Happening with VA Benefits in 2026?

The Senate has been actively engaged in multiple legislative and oversight actions regarding VA benefits in 2026, with significant pushback against proposals that would reduce benefits for disabled veterans while also advancing bills to increase benefits through cost-of-living adjustments .

Why it matters: The outcome of these debates will directly affect disability compensation payments for over 1 million veterans currently receiving benefits for tinnitus and sleep apnea, as well as determine whether combat-injured veterans receive their full military retirement benefits .

The Proposed Cuts: What’s Being Challenged

VA Draft Rule (RIN: 2900-AQ72)

The VA released a draft rule entitled “Schedule for Rating Disabilities–Ear, Nose, Throat, and Audiology Disabilities; Special Provisions Regarding Evaluation of Respiratory Conditions; Respiratory System” that proposes significant reductions in disability ratings for veterans with service-connected tinnitus and sleep apnea .

Key proposed changes:

• Tinnitus: Would eliminate tinnitus as a stand-alone disability, instead requiring veterans to be service-connected for an underlying pathology related to hearing loss. According to the draft rule’s regulatory impact analysis, more than 60% of veterans who submit tinnitus-related claims are not service-connected for an underlying pathology—meaning nearly 1 million veterans would lose their monthly disability compensation .

• Sleep Apnea: Would reduce compensation levels for service-connected sleep apnea to zero. This change mirrors a recent interim final rule the VA rescinded after significant backlash from the veteran community .

Take Care of America’s Veterans Act

This 553-page veterans’ bill includes a provision to pay for other veteran legislation (including the Major Richard Star Act) by cutting approximately $60 billion in benefits for more than 1.4 million disabled veterans .

Key facts:

• The bill would codify the same reductions in benefits for veterans with tinnitus and sleep apnea contained in the VA draft rule 

• Major veterans’ organizations—including Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)—have opposed the proposal 

• A House vote on the bill was pulled in July 2026 after three House Republicans joined Democrats in supporting an alternative funding mechanism 

Senate Opposition: Who’s Fighting the Cuts

Bipartisan Letter to VA Secretary Collins

In June 2026, Senator Angus King (I-ME) and colleagues sent a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins opposing the proposed cuts .

Key signatories included:

• Senator Angus King (I-ME)

• Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) – SVAC Chairman

• Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) – SVAC Ranking Member

• And many others 

The Senators wrote: “We write in strong opposition to a proposed reduction in benefits for more than one million veterans suffering from sleep apnea and tinnitus… We urge you to listen to the growing opposition from veterans and publicly commit to addressing their concerns” .

47-Senator Democratic Letter

Senator Richard Blumenthal led 46 Democratic colleagues in a separate letter condemning the cuts .

The letter highlighted:

• Tinnitus is the most common service-connected disability, affecting 3.6 million veterans 

• Sleep apnea affects more than 763,000 veterans receiving VA benefits 

• The American Tinnitus Association confirmed that “tinnitus often occurs independently of any other health condition” 

• The American Legion noted the change conflicts with “court decisions that recognize tinnitus as a stand-alone condition” 

The Senators concluded: “At your confirmation hearing last year, you pledged, ‘We’re not going to balance budgets on the back of veterans’ benefits.’ We urge you to honor that commitment by abandoning these proposals” <span class=””>.

Positive Legislation: What Senators Are Supporting

Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2026 (S. 4487)

What it is: Bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and John Boozman (R-AR) to ensure VA benefits keep pace with inflation .

Who qualifies: Veterans receiving disability compensation, clothing allowances, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children .

Why it matters: The bill would align VA benefit increases with annual adjustments by the Social Security Administration, ensuring veterans’ benefits don’t lose value due to inflation .

What happens next:<span class=””> The bill has bipartisan cosponsors including Senators Murray, Tillis, Sanders, Cramer, Hirono, Banks, Hassan, Sheehy, King, Duckworth, Gallego, Slotkin, and Blackburn .

National Veterans Strategy Act of 2026 (S. 3726)

What it is: Legislation introduced January 2026 to require the President to define veteran success and develop and implement a National Veterans Strategy .

Why it matters: The bill would create a comprehensive, coordinated approach to veteran services across the federal government.

Home Affordability for Guard and Reserve Act

What it is: A provision within the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026 (H.R. 6047) that expands VA home loan eligibility to certain Guard and Reserve members .

Key changes:

• Expands the definition of “active duty” to include service on active duty, inactive-duty training, and annual training duty 

• Creates a new category of veteran eligibility for those with at least 14 days of qualifying service who complete entry-level and skill training

• Adds a 1.00% additional loan fee for these new eligibles 

• Applies retroactively to service performed on or after September 11, 2001 

Major Richard Star Act: A Contentious Debate

What Is the Major Richard Star Act?

The Major Richard Star Act is bipartisan legislation to fix an injustice preventing combat-injured veterans from receiving their full military benefits .

The problem: Currently, only veterans with disability ratings above 50% and more than 20 years of service can receive the full amount of both their DoD retirement and VA disability payments—leaving over 50,000 combat-injured military retirees behind .

The support:

• 79 bipartisan cosponsors in the Senate 

• 334 bipartisan cosponsors in the House 

• Support from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth 

The conflict: Senate Republican leadership has blocked at least two attempts by Senator Blumenthal to advance the bill, claiming the country cannot afford the benefits <span class=””>. Blumenthal has proposed paying for the legislation with $13 billion in unspent Department of Defense funds <span class=””>.

Comparison: Proposed Cuts vs. Protections

Common Questions

1. What are the proposed cuts to VA benefits in 2026?

A VA draft rule and the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act propose reducing benefits for veterans with service-connected tinnitus and sleep apnea. Tinnitus would no longer be a stand-alone disability, potentially affecting nearly 1 million veterans. Sleep apnea compensation would be reduced to zero, affecting over 763,000 veterans .

2. How many veterans would be affected by the proposed cuts?

According to the Congressional Budget Office, nearly 1 million veterans would have their monthly disability compensation reduced. This includes approximately 763,000 veterans with sleep apnea and 3.6 million total veterans receiving tinnitus benefits, with more than 60% of those potentially losing eligibility .

3. What is the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act?

It’s a 553-page veterans’ bill that includes a provision to pay for the Major Richard Star Act and other legislation by cutting $60 billion in benefits for more than 1.4 million disabled veterans. Major veterans’ organizations including DAV, VFW, and IAVA have opposed the proposal .

4. What is the Major Richard Star Act?

The Major Richard Star Act is bipartisan legislation to allow combat-injured veterans to receive their full DoD retirement and VA disability payments. Currently, only veterans with ratings above 50% and more than 20 years of service can receive both. Over 50,000 veterans would benefit from the legislation <span class=””>.

5. Who has supported opposing the benefit cuts?

Senator Angus King (I-ME) and colleagues sent a bipartisan letter to VA Secretary Collins opposing the cuts. Additionally, Senator Richard Blumenthal led 46 Democratic Senators in a separate letter. Veterans service organizations including DAV, VFW, and IAVA have also opposed the cuts .

6. What is the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2026?

S. 4487 is bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Moran, Blumenthal, and Boozman to ensure VA benefits keep pace with inflation. The bill would increase disability compensation, clothing allowances, and dependency and indemnity compensation in alignment with Social Security benefit increases .

7. Why is the VA considering reducing tinnitus and sleep apnea benefits?

The VA draft rule would eliminate tinnitus as a stand-alone disability and reduce sleep apnea compensation to zero. Proponents argue this would save costs, but medical experts and veterans’ organizations have opposed the changes, noting that tinnitus often occurs independently of other conditions and that medical devices don’t eliminate the impact of living with disabilities .

8. What did Secretary Collins pledge about veterans’ benefits?

At his confirmation hearing, Secretary Collins pledged: “We’re not going to balance budgets on the back of veterans’ benefits.” Senators are now urging him to honor that commitment by abandoning the proposed cuts .

9. What is the National Veterans Strategy Act of 2026?

S. 3726 is legislation introduced in January 2026 to require the President to define veteran success and develop and implement a National Veterans Strategy. The bill would create a comprehensive approach to veteran services across the federal government <span class=””>.

10. What is the Home Affordability for Guard and Reserve Act?

This provision expands VA home loan eligibility to certain Guard and Reserve members, including those who have completed at least 14 days of qualifying service and entry-level and skill training. It applies retroactively to service performed on or after September 11, 2001 .

Key Takeaways

• The Senate is actively opposing proposed reductions in disability benefits for over 1 million veterans with service-connected tinnitus and sleep apnea .

• Bipartisan letters from Senators King, Moran, Blumenthal, and 46 Democratic colleagues have urged VA Secretary Collins to abandon the proposed cuts .

• The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act—which would codify these benefit cuts—has faced significant opposition, with a House vote pulled in July 2026 .

• The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2026 (S. 4487) would ensure VA benefits keep pace with inflation, aligning with Social Security benefit increases .

• The Major Richard Star Act has 79 bipartisan cosponsors but has been blocked multiple times by Senate Republican leadership despite Secretary Hegseth’s support .

• Veterans service organizations—including DAV, VFW, and IAVA—have opposed the proposed benefit cuts .

• The Home Affordability for Guard and Reserve Act expands VA home loan eligibility for Guard and Reserve members retroactive to September 11, 2001 .

• Secretary Collins’ confirmation hearing pledge—”We’re not going to balance budgets on the back of veterans’ benefits”—is being cited by Senators demanding the cuts be abandoned .

Official Resources

• VA Disability Benefits: va.gov/disability

• Congressional Budget Office: cbo.gov

• Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: veterans.senate.gov

• VA Secretary’s Office: va.gov

• House Veterans’ Affairs Committee: veterans.house.gov