Military.com | By Haley Fuller

Published April 18, 2026 at 4:15pm ET

There exists a persistent gap in how the federal government supports surviving military families, according to Tamra Sipes, national president of Gold Star Spouses of America, who spoke to Military.com ahead of a major advocacy effort in Washington and, more specifically, Capitol Hill.

Sipes is leading a delegation of roughly 40-50 surviving spouses and family members to the nation's capital, where they will meet directly with lawmakers to advocate for changes to survivor benefits—particularly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), or the primary monthly benefit paid to families of service members who die in the line of duty.

“We’re going to advocate for improving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, which affects every one of us,” Sipes said, emphasizing that the issue is central to the organization’s work. 

At the core of their argument is a disparity between military survivor benefits and those provided to other federal families. Sipes explained that surviving spouses of federal civilian employees can receive about 55% of compensation, while military surviving spouses receive closer to 43%.

That difference, she said, has real consequences for families trying to rebuild their lives.

“In real life, it’s about $450 or more a month,” she said, noting that the structure of DIC has not been meaningfully updated since 1993 beyond routine cost-of-living adjustments. 

Legislation Behind the Advocacy

The group’s Capitol Hill meetings will focus on several pieces of legislation designed to address these gaps.

The most comprehensive proposal is the Caring for Survivors Act, which would increase DIC payments to better align military survivor benefits with those provided to federal civilian employees. Sipes described this measure as the clearest path to achieving parity between the two systems. 

Alongside that effort, the organization is supporting H.R. 6047, known as the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Improvement Act, which is a broader package that increases Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for surviving families while also raising Special Monthly Compensation for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities.

It includes additional financial support for veterans requiring aid and attendance and makes changes to VA home loan fee rules that help fund those benefit increases. The bill carries personal significance for the families involved.

Sipes noted that Sharri Briley lost her husband during the 1993 Black Hawk Down mission and will be present on Capitol Hill as part of the advocacy effort.

A third priority, the Love Lives On Act, addresses remarriage restrictions that currently prevent surviving spouses from retaining benefits if they remarry before age 55. Advocates argue the policy forces younger widows and widowers, who are often raising children, to choose between financial stability and moving forward with their lives. 

What Advocacy on Capitol Hill Looks Like

The advocacy effort is scheduled to occur Tuesday, April 21, when participants will spend the day meeting with lawmakers and congressional staff.

Sipes described a structured but demanding schedule, with small groups moving from office to office across Capitol Hill, often spending 15-20 minutes in each meeting.

“We try to cover every single office on Capitol Hill,” she said, explaining that participants also conduct drop-in visits between scheduled meetings to reach as many offices as possible. 

Sipes said the experience serves as both advocacy and education, helping families understand that programs like DIC are determined by Congress. “It’s an education process,” she said, noting that lawmakers are often equally unaware of the disparity until it is explained directly. 

Original Article Link with photos: Gold Star Spouses Take on Capitol Hill, Push Congress For Survivor Benefits | Military.com

April 10, 2026 | By David Vergun, Pentagon News 

Finally this week, the department observed Gold Star Spouses Day on April 5.

The term gold star dates back to World War I and the first service flag. Robert L. Queissner, who had served in the Ohio National Guard, hung the first blue star banner in his window in 1917 in honor of his two sons fighting in Europe.

Other families began displaying star banners, with a blue star for each child in active military service. If a service member was killed in action or died from injuries, a gold star replaced the blue one, signifying the family's sacrifice. These families became known as Gold Star Families.

Gold Star Spouses Day is observed annually on April 5 to honor the surviving spouses of military service members who have died in the line of duty.

"We recognize the profound sacrifices made by the surviving spouses of our fallen heroes. Your unwavering strength and remarkable resilience continue to inspire us all. Today and always, we stand with you in solemn remembrance and deep gratitude," Podleski said.

News: Epic Fury Quelled for Now, Objectives Accomplished, U.S. Forces Remain Ready

Original Link:  https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4456466/this-week-in-dow-iran-ceasefire-daring-rescue-honoring-gold-star-spouses/

Story by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner 

1st Special Operations Wing  

The Military and Family Readiness Center created “Portraits of Service, Stories of Love,” a memorial display, to commemorate Gold Star Spouse’s Day at Hurlburt Field, Florida, March 30 to April 10, 2026.

The display of photographs and personal tributes from local Gold Star spouses, located in the M&FRC lobby, provides a space for service members to reflect on the enduring impact of loss and the strength of those left behind.

“Our intent is to create a meaningful way to keep their loved one's memories alive,” said an M&FRC community readiness consultant specializing in Air Force Families Forever.

One Gold Star spouse, Holly Loftis, spoke about her husband, Darin.

“Darin was a great dad to our two daughters and a wonderful husband,” said Loftis. “He could talk to anyone of any background and come away from the conversation having learned from them and having gained a friend. I will conclude with his own words that he wrote in a letter to our daughters. I think they also summarize his own life. ‘Make your way in life in such a manner that you don’t wonder what could have been, how you might have done, or how your talents might have unfolded.’”

Gold Star Spouse’s Day, April 5, originated during World War I when families would display flags with a blue star for each member serving. If the member died, the blue star was replaced with a gold one to showcase their ultimate sacrifice for their country.

“It’s easy to get wrapped up in our day-to-day lives as service members, so remembering those before us who made a significant impact is very important,” said another community readiness consultant.

However, Gold Star family support continues beyond the annual observance day through the Air Force Families Forever program, which connects surviving family members to the Air Force community. Through ongoing outreach, resources and personal engagement, the program reinforces the Air Force’s commitment to caring for families.

“Resilience is a major focus in the military, and that’s exactly what Gold Star spouses and families embody,” said the community readiness consultant. “This is not a path they planned for, but one they were forced to navigate, and it takes incredible strength. I hope those who see this reflect on their resilience and remember these families are still an important part of our Air and Space Force family.”

Read More: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/561969/hurlburt-recognizes-gold-star-spouses-day-with-portraits-service-stories-love

Each year on April 5, Gold Star Spouses Day, our nation honors the sacrifice, strength and resilience of the surviving spouses of fallen military service members. At VA, that recognition also means making sure surviving spouses know about the many benefits available to help them rebuild their lives.  

Surviving spouses may be eligible for a variety of VA benefits based on their late spouse’s service. 

Read More: https://news.va.gov/146027/gold-star-spouse-va-benefits/

Tunnel to Towers Foundation Delivers 30 Mortgage-Free Homes to Gold Star Families

Standing with America’s military families in honor of Gold Star Spouses Day

honor of Gold Star Spouses Day

April 03, 2026 11:00 ET  | Source: Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation

Staten Island, NY, April 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In observance of Gold Star Spouses Day, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation is providing 30 mortgage-free homes to Gold Star families across our country. 

"This Gold Star Spouses Day, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation is honored to stand with the families of those who have given everything for our country. Paying off the mortgages for these 30 families ensures the children of these heroes will always have a place to call home, free from any financial burden,” said Tunnel to Towers Chairman and CEO Frank Siller. 

The 30 homes are in 17 different states, stretching from coast to coast. They include the families of:

• Marine Corps Sergeant  Brian Hector Alvarado - Long Beach, CA
• Army Corporal Allen Losh - Santa Rosa, CA
• Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Nolan Jones - Longmont, CO
• Navy Machinist Mate First Class Marshall O'Connor - Washington, DC
• Navy Lieutenant Commander Darryl Hunter - Dumfries, VA
• Air Force Technical Sergeant Shawn Mette - Melbourne, FL
• Army First Sergeant August Alombro - New Smyrna Beach, FL
• Marine Corps Sergeant Carlos Baez - Orlando, FL 
• Marine Corps Sergeant Ward Johnson IV - Murrayville, GA
• Army Sergeant Benjamin Sherman - Plymouth, MA 
• Air Force Major Vernon Bryant Jr. - Woodstock, MD
• Army Sergeant Steven Ganczewski - Sparta, MI
• Marine Corps Lance Corporal Adam Wood - Ozark, MO
• Air Force Staff Sergeant Joshua Moore - Mooresville, NC
• Army Major Alexander Wingate - Cameron, NC
• Army & Air Force Staff Sergeant Michael R. Ehrhart II - South Webster, OH
• Air Force Senior Airman Robert Pearson - Newalla, OK
• Army Staff Sergeant Louis DePan - Killeen, TX
• Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Breon Coyle - Richmond, TX
• Army Captain Edward Anderson - Richmond, TX
• Navy Chief Petty Officer Caprice Pryor - Suffolk, VA

Read More: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/04/03/3268048/0/en/Tunnel-to-Towers-Foundation-Delivers-30-Mortgage-Free-Homes-to-Gold-Star-Families.html

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Angus King (I-Maine) today introduced the Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act, a legislative fix to correct a disparity in funeral and burial benefits for veterans who die from service-connected disabilities.

“Our nation’s veterans answered the call to serve and made incredible sacrifices for our freedoms,” said Risch. “My Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act ensures our veterans who are injured or wounded during their service are laid to rest with honor and dignity.”

“Veterans who die as a result of their service to our nation deserve to be honored appropriately, and their families deserve our full support,” said King. “Our Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act corrects an unintended disparity between service and non-service related deaths to even out the burial benefits for these veterans who served our country. On behalf of a grateful nation, it is the least we can do for these families.”

In 2020, Congress passed legislation that increased burial benefits for non-service-connected deaths and tied them to inflation. As a result, the benefit amount for non-service-connected deaths has surpassed that for service-connected deaths, which is capped at $2,000.

The Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act corrects this imbalance by increasing service-connected benefits from $2,000 to $3,000 and tying them to the same inflation adjustment as the non-service-connected benefit.

The Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act is supported by the Idaho Division of Veteran Services, the VFW, Gold Star Spouses of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, the National Funeral Directors Association, and TAPS.

“Honoring those who served our great nation should always be a priority, especially when a Veteran passes from a service-connected illness or injury.  This Bill ensures we continue to honor those Veterans and ease the financial burden placed on grieving families when it is time to lay their Veteran to rest,” said Mark Tschampl, Director of Idaho Division of Veteran Services.

“Gold Star Spouses of America strongly supports legislation introduced by Senator Jim Risch to amend Title 38 of the United States Code to increase the burial and funeral benefit provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans who die from service-connected disabilities. While no financial benefit can ever compensate for the loss of a service member or veteran, this legislation recognizes the responsibility our nation holds to care for the families left behind. Ensuring that those who died as a result of their service are honored with dignity and that their families are not burdened with preventable financial strain, is a matter of basic respect and gratitude,” said Tamra Sipes, National President, Gold Star Spouses of America.

Original Article: https://www.risch.senate.gov/news/press-releases/risch-king-introduce-bill-to-correct-veteran-burial-benefits/

Gold Star Spouse Advocates Visit DVMF

On February 25, Danielle Charles, president of the Gold Star Spouses of America – Aberdeen Chapter, testified before the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee in support of HB 0842, which would remove the two-year deadline for surviving spouses to qualify for Maryland’s property tax exemption. Danielle and her children, Jeremiah and Autumn also met with DVMF Secretary Rothstein.

Original Article: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MDVA/bulletins/40c4472#:~:text=Gold%20Star%20Spouse%20Advocates%20Visit,the%20Gold%20Star%20Spouses%20of

The Markup hearing on this bill was a bit heated over funding sources for the bill. 

"Because of this political squabbling, and political posturing, and because of putting politics over policy and people; We are unable to provide more money to our Gold Star Spouses. A Gold Star Family, it's not a mortgage like we are discussing here, or a 30-year commitment, its a lifetime commitment that we OWE as American Citizens because their husband or wife is never going to come back. ... Because of this political posturing...we can't give them more support and that is SHAMEFUL."  Congressman Van Orden, WI3, Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Feb 12, 2026. Comments on HR 6047

"We beleive that the country should pay for this and not other Veterans" Minority House Committe Chair, Congressman Takano

"(HR 6047) Reaffirms a prormise that their service to this country was not in vain; America has their (our) back" Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Congressman Bost, on HR 6047 proceeding to the full house of Representatives.

Today the House Veterans Affairs Committee marked up HR 6047 the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2025. This bill will incrementally increase Dependent Indemnity Compensation (DIC) by a certain percentage over a set number of years. This bill also increases special monthly compensation (SMC) for veteran's who are catastrophically disabled and require round-the-clock care. Original bill DIC increase was 5% over 5 years. Amendments put forward are asking for 0.5% over 2 years due to budgetary restraints and funding sources.

DIC is paid to Surviving Spouses of those killed in combat or active duty and Surviving Spouses of those with Service-Connected Deaths-meaning their active-duty service caused their deaths.

Gold Star Spouses of America supports ANY increase in DIC which will bring current rates in line with other Federal Survivor Benefits, even if it is incremental. Currently other Federal Survivors receive 55%. DIC compensation is paid at approximately 43% of a single 100 percent disabled veteran (special monthly compensations not considered in calculations).

An additional bill HR2055, Caring for Survivors- addresses the full disparity in DIC to parity with other Federal Survivor Benefits.

HR 6047, is a beginning, a start, to addressing the disparity, and restore dignity, and parity in survivor’s payments to Surviving Spouses. Not an end.

We will continue to advocate for Surviving Spouses as part of the mission of Gold Star Spouses of America in remembrance of those who gave their lives to this country.

Meet Your Neighbor: Kathy Prout’s dedication benefits thousands

Perseverance and persuasion are just two of the key elements that Kathy Prout embraced after her husband, Rear Admiral James G. (Jay) Prout III, the Commander of the USS Carl Vinson battle group, was killed in a military F/AC 18 plane crash in 1995.

The family had moved 26 times in Jay’s 29-year Naval career. Through the years, they were stationed many times in Coronado, where they were living when he died. As a Navy widow, she encountered many hurdles, including being told by her Casualty Assistance Officer that the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) offset the Department of Defense Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP). The result was that her survivor benefit would be 78 percent less than active duty pay, which was fiscally and emotionally devastating.

“No one tells you what happens after they hand you the folded flag,” she says, and references “widow brain” clouding the ability to think clearly and navigate a complicated system that is difficult to grasp. She started her “agitation,” as she calls it, later that year and reached out to the Department of Defense (DOD) and various admirals and generals to ask that they do something to fix this problem. Kathy learned that this was not an easily remedied policy change but that the law needed to be changed. This meant that she had to figure out how to get legislation passed. She reached out to her congresswoman, other military widows, and veteran service organizations to obtain support for the issue and get a bill introduced.

Through the years she’s met many other military surviving spouses who were impacted, as she worked to educate Congressional staffers, organizations such as the VFW, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and Silver Strand Chapter of MOAA, San Diego Board of Supervisors, SD Veterans Coalition, and more. It was an uphill battle, with everyone sympathetic to the predicament but not willing to affect change. She refused to give up and went to Washington, DC more than 100 times, sometimes alone and other times with two or three other widows, to meet with legislators and their staff.

Her advocacy gained traction in 2013, when she took to social media and created a private Facebook group for surviving spouses to find each other and work on the issue together. The group grew from six members to more than 2200 by 2019. 2016 was a pivotal year, when she started a petition on Change.org called “Stop denying earned survivor benefits to military widows” that garnered more than 100,000 signatures and was sent to President Trump, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and other key leaders at the time. She drew on her teaching skills and created sample letters and talking points so supporters could personalize their message.

Kathy was interviewed by NBC reporters for a story that aired in June 2025 about her Congressional efforts.

In December 2019, the Military Widows Equity Act (bill numbers HR 553 and S.622, which can be searched at www.congress.gov) was passed into law and included the National Defense Authorization Act. These bills had the most co-sponsors of any bills in Congress, through grass roots advocacy and the tenacity of military surviving spouses, with the most important assistance by MOAA, TAPS, and the VFW. When S.622 went to the floor of the Senate for a vote, it got 94 “yays” out of 100. The repeal was not retroactive back to the date of death, but just moving forward from the date of passage. The offset took another four years, with a three-year phase in, beginning in February 2021 through February 2023, when remaining surviving spouses started receiving full compensation. This repeal improved the lives of more than 66,000 military surviving spouses in 2019, and more since.

Kathy points out that there are still surviving spouses who don’t know about this significant change. Her Facebook group, Military Widows: SBP-DIC Offset/DIC Improvement, which now has more than 2600 members, provides information on how to apply for reinstatement, and information on the Caring for Survivors Act of 2025.

Last month, Kathy received a proclamation from the Coronado City Council designating January 20, 2026 as “Kathy Prout Day” in recognition of recently being named a 2025 MOAA Changemaker for Community Impact. She earned this honor because of her decades of dedicated work advocating for military surviving spouses and as a founder and board member of Gold Star Spouses of America, Inc. (GSSA). GSSA is a non-profit organization supporting both longstanding and newly bereaved surviving spouses of veterans and active duty service members who either died in the line of duty on active duty or of a military service caused illness or injury.

Kathy’s fight is not over. She emphasized that she does this to honor her husband’s service and sacrifice, and give his tragic death meaning. In April, she will once again travel to Washington, DC, this time for “The Caring for Survivor’s Act,” for improvements in Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, and the “Love Lives On Act,” which would allow military widows to remarry at any age, not only after 55, and keep their benefits.

She highlights that Representatives Scott Peters, Mike Levin, and Juan Vargas, have been supportive and sponsored bills to help military survivors and veterans. She is currently working with Vargas on language to amend the “HART Act.” which would change the IRA time frame from the current one year to three years for active-duty surviving spouses to convert SGLI (the military life insurance) into a Roth IRA. Many miss the opportunity due to lack of knowledge and/or “widow brain” fog.

While serving on the Board of the CA Council of Chapters of MOAA (CALMOAA), they took the initiative to eliminate California income tax on military retired pay and SBP. Kathy rallied as many as possible of the 27,000 surviving spouses to contact California legislators and the governor to garner support for AB 53. California did pass a $20,000 partial reduction in state taxes, with income limits, meaning it is no longer the only state in the country to not offer any reduction in military retired pay. She says this is a good start and they will continue to work for the complete elimination of taxes on military retired pay and SBP.

Kathy is also on the board of the local Silver Strand Chapter of MOAA, where she asked the board to be a sponsor for Wreaths Across America. She took the lead on the project, resulting in the donation of 600 wreaths for Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. Additionally, she orchestrated a food drive that garnered over 125 pounds of nonperishable foods to be donated to the ASYMCA for distribution to needy military families.

As Jr. Vice President of the Coronado VFW Auxiliary, with 15 core members and 181 in total, Kathy was busy as the “salmon chef” last June and July for the VFW Steak and Salmon dinners during the Sunday Concerts in the Park. She is pleased that the VFW Auxiliary recently gave over $11,000 to a variety of worthy non-profit organizations that support multiple organizations that help veterans. Support is needed for their upcoming March 26-28 rummage sale to help raise additional funds. Community members can start gathering household and clothing items in good condition to donate; furniture and large appliances are not accepted.

It’s undeniable that Kathy — as a Gold Star wife, mother of three, and grandmother of five — has made a positive impact in the community and on the lives of military families. When she’s not involved in military family advocacy, she enjoys going to lunch with friends, gardening, baking, and tootling around the Village in the golf cart with her grandchildren, who love Fuzziwig’s Candy Factory, snacks and slushies at the Shell station store, and slices from High Tide Pizza, Village Pizza, and Garage Buona Forchetta.

https://coronadotimes.com/news/2026/02/11/meet-your-neighbor-kathy-prouts-dedication-benefits-thousands/

American Legion- Feb 6, 2026

Protecting Gold Star spouses benefits, increased compensation for surviving spouses of veterans who passed away from ALS and legislation requiring VA to identify and report instances of fraud with respect to disability benefit questionnaire forms were among pieces of legislation The American Legon expressed support for in a Statement for the Record (SFR) submitted Feb. 3 to a House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing.

The SFR was submitted by Sri Benson, a policy analyst in the Legion’s Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Division. Read the entire SFR here.

Among the legislation the statement touched on was an effort to protect Gold Star spouses benefits through H.R. 1004, Love Lives On Act of 2025. Benson wrote that Gold Star spouses face a heartbreaking predicament: choose love and happiness through remarriage before the age of 55 and lose critical benefits or forgo companionship to retain them.

“Some lost their spouses overseas in combat, terrorist attacks, or training accidents. Others succumbed to diseases from toxic exposures,” Benson wrote. “Some returned home only to take their own lives under the weight of their invisible wounds. H.R. 1004 removes the age requirement for retaining benefits upon remarriage and protects our gold star families.

“When a young widow remarries, they are not replacing what was lost. The void left behind, the empty chair at the dinner table, will never be filled. But by passing this bill, we can help them build fuller, more meaningful lives and rebuild strong family units.”

Benson noted he speaks from experience. “I work closely with Gold Star spouses on a regular basis as a policy analyst for The American Legion, but I also am a surviving spouse,” he wrote. “My wife, Katie, succumbed to service-connected mesothelioma on July 9, 2022. She faced this illness with incomparable courage. I was Katie’s caregiver for years, leaving a career I loved to care for her. In her final months I dedicated 20 hours a day to her care. This level of care was both emotionally difficult and left a lasting impact on my body. In March 2022, when we were told her medical options were depleted and we must enroll in hospice care and prepare for her death, I suffered a series of heart attacks caused by stress-induced cardiomyopathy. While I did return home before her death, those weeks in the hospital brought additional pain and uncertainty.”

Benson said he was proud of the care he provided his wife before her death. But it took it’s toll. “My old career is gone, my old body is gone, the life we had built together is gone,” he wrote. “Through years of physical therapy and peer support I have rebuilt my life, and even though I have found love again the empty chair at the dinner table will never be replaced.

“Remarriage penalties force our widows and widowers into an impossible choice between personal happiness and financial stability. It is time to change that. Through Resolution No. 36: Prevent Gold Star Spouses Loss of Benefits, The American Legion has resolved to protect Gold Star Spouses from losing their benefits. They should not be punished for finding love again because they are still the surviving spouses of our fallen heroes. Their sacrifice has not diminished, and they have earned these benefits through service and loss.”

Benson’s SFR also touched on additional legislation that The American Legion supports, including:

·       H.R. 1685, Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025, which amends Title 38, U.S. Code, to extend increased dependency and indemnity compensation paid to surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, regardless of how long the veterans had such disease prior to death. “The additional compensation is intended to compensate families for the hardships and sacrifices which come with serious long-term illnesses. H.R. 1685, Justice for ALS Veterans Act recognizes, the sacrifices families make are not determined by arbitrary timelines,” Benson wrote. “While this bill is focused on making surviving families, who have cared for ALS veterans whole, it requires the VA to identify and report to Congress additional conditions which should be treated similarly.”

·       H.R.5339, Susan E. Lukas 9/11 Servicemember Fairness Act, which would establish a presumption of service connection for certain diseases associated with exposure to certain toxins at the Pentagon Reservation during certain period beginning on Sept. 11, 2001. “The servicemembers who were at the Pentagon during the attacks and aftermath were at the front lines of the start of the War on Terror. Through the catastrophic damage and fires raging in the rubble, they worked diligently to help with evacuation, recovery, cleanup and more as they witnessed sights that few Americans can imagine,” Benson wrote. “In the process, they were exposed to smoke and fumes from the computers, office supplies, plastics, wiring, plane parts, fuel, insulation, and more that burned for days after the attack. Research has shown consistently that exposure to these kinds of pollutants and chemicals can adversely affect health. These servicemembers deserve to have the same kinds of presumptive service connections that World Trade Center civilians and servicemembers exposed to burn pits have. Anything less is overlooking the first heroes of the War on Terror.”  

·       H.R. 6698, Board of Veterans Appeals Annual Report Transparency Act of 2025, which amends Title 38, U.S Code, to require the Board of Veterans’ Appeals to include in its annual report an identification of the factors contributing to untimely disposition and remand of appeals, and for other purposes. “The Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, also referred to as the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) reimagined how appeal decisions were made. Prior to the AMA, the system only provided veterans with one appeal lane and created an endless remand cycle that delayed claims decisions for years,” Benson wrote. “The AMA created three distinct appeal lanes to provide options for veterans seeking recourse for claims they believe should not be denied. The proposed legislation seeks to require BVA to address AMA cases which are not being adjudicated in the amount of time mandated by the law and provide formal explanations for remanded cases in its annual report to Congress. Medial opinion delays, declining claims quality, an endless remand cycle and increased rework at the regional office have frustrated veterans stuck in the appeals cycle. A 2024 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report highlighted that BVA could not verify its accuracy rates for two of the four years that were examined. Also, BVA remanded 80 percent of board decisions, but was unable to provide adequate reasoning. The endless loop of the remand cycle was supposed to be addressed by the creation of the AMA, however, the problem persists. Inadequate C&P exams, poor claim development, legal inconsistencies and the refusal to acknowledge valid medical evidence continue to trend negatively. This is why Congress has introduced H.R. 6698 Board of Veterans Appeals Annual Report Transparency Act of 2025 to improve annual reporting and identify quality issues to deter excessive remands.”

Original Link: https://www.legion.org/information-center/news/legislative/2026/february/protecting-gold-star-spouses-among-legislation-supported-by-the-american-legion