ICYMI: Congressman Tom Barrett Led “One of the Most Significant Expansions of Veterans’ Benefits in Decades”
Congressman Tom Barrett, a 22-year U.S. Army veteran and former helicopter pilot, led legislation through the United States House of Representatives that is “one of the most significant expansions of veterans’ benefits in decades for suffering families.”
The Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act “is designed to raise payments to over 7,000 veterans who are severely disabled and to lift compensation to 500,000 Gold Star families.”
“Army veteran Tom Barrett continues to deliver massive wins to support military veterans and their families. Michiganders know that Barrett will always fight for America’s heroes. ” – NRCC Spokesman Zach Bannon
Read more from National Security Journal here or see excerpts below:
The House Just Passed the First Increase in Gold Star Family Benefits Since the 1990s — 500,000 Families Could Finally See Relief
National Security Journal
Brent M. Eastwood
May 26, 2026
If this bill passes and becomes law, American veterans will rejoice. Legislation that has emerged from the House of Representatives and is now going on to the Senate will surely make many service-connected disabled veterans and their families happy if President Donald Trump signs the measure into law. The Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act cleared the House in a 235-179 vote last week, Newsweek reported.
The bill is designed to raise payments to over 7,000 veterans who are severely disabled and to lift compensation to 500,000 Gold Star families.
“The bill would increase Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits by 1.5 percent over two years. Those payments are provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to surviving spouses and family members of service members who died in the line of duty or from service-related conditions,” Newsweek wrote.
The legislation is also designed to aid veterans with serious traumatic brain injuries. Their payments could increase up to $10,000 a year. Other severe disabilities, such as veterans who have lost arms or legs, will also be included in the measure.
The bill was introduced in 2025 by Congressman Tom Barrett, a former Army helicopter pilot. “Our nation can never fully repay the debt we owe to the heroes and families who have served and sacrificed for our freedom,” Barrett said in a statement after the vote. “But passing my bipartisan legislation today is further proof that we will never stop trying.”
This is one of the most significant expansions of veterans’ benefits in decades for suffering families, according to Military.com.
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