Take Care of America’s Veterans Act: Congress is looking at a large new package called the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act. It was introduced in the House as H.R. 9237. A related Senate proposal is called S. 4744. The package brings together ideas from more than 60 earlier veterans bills. It deals with VA healthcare, disability payments, mental health services, education and help for military families.
As of July 16, 2026, the proposal had not become law. The House had taken up H.R. 9237 for consideration while the Senate version was also still pending. This means veterans have not lost or gained any benefits because of this package yet. The VA must continue using its current rules unless Congress passes the legislation and the president signs it. Supporters see the package as a chance to pass many veterans’ measures at the same time.
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Major Richard Star Act
This would help nearly 60,000 veterans who were medically retired because of combat-related injuries. Currently many of them lose part of their military retirement pay if they also get VA disability compensation. The new proposal would let eligible veterans receive both payments in full at the same time.
Health and Family Support
The bill also adds more help for veterans with mental health problems. It would strengthen suicide prevention work and expand the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. That program gives money to local groups that help veterans at risk of suicide. The package also includes better treatment and more research for traumatic brain injuries.
Family caregivers would get more support too. Some may be able to keep certain medical coverage for six months after a veteran dies or leaves the caregiver program. The bill also helps surviving husbands and wives. One part would allow some surviving spouses to keep survivor benefits even after getting married again, according to veterans.house.gov.
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New VA Funding
The package also includes changes to education and job programs. It would update parts of the GI Bill, improve support for apprenticeships and online students, and help veterans transition to civilian life with better information about jobs, education and VA benefits. The bill would make the VA claims process faster and more accurate. It would limit claim denials caused only by missed medical exams and provide better evaluations and equipment for veterans with spinal cord injuries.
It also expands access to community care through parts of the Veterans ACCESS Act, helping veterans get treatment outside the VA when appointments are delayed or facilities are too far away. The proposal also includes $500 million for VA technology upgrades, including cybersecurity and digital records. It would also approve up to $1.18 billion for a new medical centre and related facilities in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Why Sleep Apnea and Tinnitus Are Causing Concern?
The biggest argument in the package is about future disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus. These changes would not cut payments for veterans who already have protected ratings. They would mostly affect new claims filed after the law starts.
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For sleep apnea, the proposal says using a CPAP machine would not automatically mean a 50% rating. If treatment removes the symptoms, a veteran could get 0%. A 10% rating could apply if treatment helps but does not fully fix the problem. A 50% rating could still happen if treatment does not work or cannot be used because of another medical issue. A 100% rating would be for the most serious cases, such as organ damage.
Tinnitus would also be treated differently. It can get a separate 10% rating, but under the bill it would usually count as part of another condition instead of getting its own rating. A separate 10% rating would still exist in a limited hearing-loss case.
Veterans already receiving compensation for sleep apnea or tinnitus would be protected. Their payments could not be reduced just because of the new rules. Supporters say the savings would stay inside veterans programs and help pay for retirement benefits, healthcare, and other parts of the package. Groups including the American Legion and Wounded Warrior Project have supported many major parts of the bill, although some supporters have also raised questions about its funding plan.
