Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026

Key Points

• Veterans who need help with daily living activities (aid and attendance) will receive an extra $833.33 per month on top of their regular disability compensation, starting December 1, 2026.
• Surviving families receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) will get cost-of-living increases that are 1% higher than Social Security increases the first year and 0.5% higher the second year, boosting their monthly payments above inflation.
• National Guard and Reserve members gain expanded access to VA home loans. The bill broadens the definition of "active duty" to include inactive-duty training, annual training, and full-time National Guard service, and applies retroactively to service performed on or after September 11, 2001.
• Reserve component members with as few as 14 days of qualifying service who completed entry-level training can now qualify for VA home loans, though they will pay an additional 1% loan fee compared to other veterans.
• To offset costs, the bill increases certain VA loan funding fees and extends existing fee structures and pension payment limits through September 30, 2036.