The Reducing Arbitrary Barriers to Apprenticeship Act of 2026 amends federal veterans' education benefits to remove financial and administrative obstacles for those pursuing apprenticeships or on-the-job training. The bill increases the monthly housing stipend for full-time apprentices to match the rate paid to military members with dependents, rather than the lower rate currently applied to students without dependents. Additionally, it waives the minimum monthly attendance requirement for veterans enrolled in construction industry programs, allowing them to receive benefits even if their on-site training hours fall below standard thresholds. These changes apply to recipients of Post-9/11 GI Bill, All-Volunteer Force, and Selected Reserve educational assistance.
This bill expands access to educational assistance benefits by adding dependent parents to the list of eligible recipients under the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program. Eligibility is granted to the parent of a service member who dies from a service-connected disability or is rated as totally and permanently disabled due to a service-connected condition. The legislation includes technical amendments to ensure these new beneficiaries are properly recognized in rules regarding when benefits end, how long they last, and how correspondence course payments are processed.
This bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic located in Medina County, Ohio, as the "Leland John Codding VA Clinic." It requires that all future legal and official references to this specific facility use its new name.
The Veterans Housing Opportunity Act establishes a five-year pilot program that allows the Department of Housing and Urban Development to identify public housing agencies that are not effectively using their HUD-VASH vouchers. If an agency is found to be chronically underutilizing these funds, the department may take back the unused voucher assistance and redistribute it to other agencies. These reallocated vouchers must then be provided to veterans who are currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The bill requires the department to report on the program's efficiency and housing outcomes after three years, while ensuring that any veteran who receives a voucher under this pilot keeps it even if the pilot program ends.
The PEPTIDES for Veterans Act directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to review existing federal regulations regarding peptides and submit a report within 180 days that establishes specific definitions for peptides and peptide-based therapies. Following this initial review, the Department must conduct an 18-month study on the safety and efficacy of these treatments for veterans, focusing on conditions such as chronic pain, mental health, and rehabilitation needs. If the study concludes that these therapies should be made available, the Secretary is required to launch a pilot program lasting up to five years to evaluate their effectiveness in real-world clinical settings. The bill ultimately aims to determine whether peptide-based therapies can be integrated into standard care for veterans based on the findings from the mandated research and pilot evaluation.
The Restore Veterans’ Compensation Act of 2026 prohibits the government from reducing disability compensation paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs for service members who previously received separation pay or severance benefits. For those receiving retired or retainer pay, the bill limits the repayment of any owed separation funds to a maximum of 25 percent of their monthly pension and requires a 90-day notice period before deductions begin. The legislation also mandates that the Secretary of Defense consult with affected members on repayment rates to prevent undue financial hardship and allows for waivers if repayment would cause significant economic difficulty.
The Empowering States to Serve Veterans Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to share veterans' contact information with state veterans agencies at least quarterly for statistical analysis and outreach purposes. The bill strictly limits the shared data by excluding protected health information, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and any financial or claims-related details. To protect privacy, the legislation mandates that veterans receive clear notice of this sharing and provides an accessible process for them to opt out at any time, which requires state agencies to immediately destroy any previously received data. State agencies must also implement federal-standard cybersecurity measures and demonstrate compliance before receiving any information.
This bill strengthens protections for active-duty military personnel and recent veterans against harassment by debt collectors. It prohibits collectors from threatening to reduce a service member's rank, revoke their security clearance, or prosecute them under military law for failing to pay debts. Additionally, the legislation bans collectors from implying that a service member will face these specific penalties if they do not cooperate with collection efforts. To evaluate the law's impact, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to study how these new rules affect debt information delivery, military readiness, and national security.
The Veterans Medicare Premium Transparency Act requires Medicare to clearly explain how a veteran's enrollment in the Department of Veterans Affairs patient enrollment system affects their monthly insurance premiums. Under this bill, annual notices sent to Medicare beneficiaries will explicitly state that time spent in the VA system counts toward premium calculations and qualifies as valid prescription drug coverage. Additionally, the Secretary of Health and Human Services must post this explanation on the Medicare website and submit a report to Congress within 180 days detailing the updates and estimating how many veterans were previously paying higher premiums due to this lack of clarity.
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to redraw the boundaries of Veterans Integrated Service Network 17 within 180 days of enactment. The change specifically includes Otero County and Eddy County in New Mexico, ensuring these rural areas fall under the oversight of that network. By integrating these counties into the existing network, the legislation aims to standardize how rural veterans receive health care coordination and services.
