The U.S. House of Representatives in a rare show of bipartisanship this week voted to revive an office that advocates for the survivors of U.S. military veterans.
The House voted 424-0 to pass H.R. 1228, the “Prioritizing Veterans’ Survivors Act,” a strong bipartisan bill to restore the Office of Survivors Assistance (OSA) to its original mission under the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
The measure ensures that the office is once again the chief advocate for policies that affect military families and survivors of those lost in military service.
The legislation’s passage is said to undo a 2021 effort that marginalized the advocacy of veterans’ survivors.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), amends Title 38, United States Code, “to clarify the organization of the Office of Survivors Assistance of the Department of Veterans Affairs,” according to GovTrack. The measure now heads to the Senate for consideration.
VA Secretary Doug Collins, a former GOP lawmaker from Georgia, recently addressed “rumors” about reports that there would be stiff cuts to VA benefits and veterans’ care under Trump.
Among the claims he disputed was that VA health care would deteriorate.
Collins categorically rejected this assertion, stating that the department has fortified its health care and benefits by preserving 300,000 mission-critical positions to guarantee uninterrupted services.
He also countered another rumor suggesting that Veterans’ benefits were being cut.
“They’re not,” he said, explaining that VA had redirected nearly $98 million toward Veterans’ care and services rather than reducing them.
Collins, a colonel and a chaplain in the Air Force Reserve, addressed the rumor that the VA was laying off Veterans Crisis Line responders.
“We did not lay off any Veteran Crisis Line responders,” he noted, while assuring that those answering crisis calls remain in place to support veterans in need.
Collins then encouraged Veterans to obtain information directly from the VA rather than depending on the misinformation that circulates in political discussions.
This development comes as major election integrity proposal championed by President Trump cleared another hurdle Wednesday.
House Republicans approved legislation that not only funds key national security agencies but also sets up what could become one of the biggest legislative battles of the year over proof-of-citizenship requirements for voting.
The House voted 217-209 to pass a fiscal year 2027 appropriations bill funding the State Department, national security programs, and other federal priorities.
One Democrat joined Republicans in supporting the measure, while one Republican voted against it.
To satisfy conservative lawmakers, House leaders attached the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act to the legislation before sending it to the Senate using a legislative procedure known as MIRVing.
The SAVE America Act would require individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.
It would require voters to present identification when casting a ballot.
President Trump has repeatedly described the legislation as one of his administration’s top priorities, arguing it is necessary to strengthen election integrity and ensure that only eligible citizens participate in federal elections.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain.
Several reports indicate that senators are likely to remove the SAVE America Act from the appropriations package before they consider final passage.
Even so, House Republicans say attaching the proposal keeps pressure on the Senate to act.
“The pressure’s gonna be on the Senate,” Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., told Fox News Digital.
“Certain senators are gonna have to find a real come-to-Jesus moment to pass the strongest reconciliation package possible.”
The funding bill marks the third appropriations measure approved by the House this year.
Lawmakers previously passed legislation funding military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs, including more than $2 billion for improvements to VA medical facilities and national cemeteries.
The House also approved an agriculture appropriations bill providing $1.16 billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service while strengthening efforts to track foreign ownership of American farmland.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans continue searching for a procedural path that could allow at least portions of the SAVE America Act to survive Senate rules governing budget reconciliation.
