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Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared, at the start of the Committee’s markup of 5 bills, 4 of which are led by House Republicans, including H.R. 6047, the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, landmark legislation that would increase the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) monthly compensation benefit for service-connected, catastrophically disabled veterans and the surviving families of servicemembers who were killed in action, as well as 100% disabled or deceased veterans. These specific VA benefits have not been significantly increased in decades. To read more about Sharri’s story, click here. To read more about Eric’s story of service and his life today, click here.

Good morning. A quorum being present, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will come to order.

Without objection, the Chair may declare a recess at any point.

I am glad to be here today to consider five bills.

I am going to keep my remarks short to leave plenty of time for discussion on each of these important bills and the amendments being offered.

A number of bills before us today are the product of bipartisan negotiations and feedback from veterans, survivors, their families, and their advocates.

 Among those bills is H.R. 6047, the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026.

Last December, Sharri Briley and Edgar Edmundson testified about the impact this bill would have on not only them, but the hundreds of thousands of families like them.

Their message to us was simple: our veteran community has earned this – put politics aside and get this bill done.

This bill honors the sacrifice of our most severely wounded veterans and the loved ones of those heroes who died because of their service.

It helps families that sacrificed so much for us with their financial stability.

It is a promise that we have got their back.

I am hopeful that this committee will be able to report out a bill, today, that delivers for the thousands of great Americans like Sharri and Eric.

Also, before us today are bills that would:

- help V.A. make important strides to improve community care scheduling;

- ensure policy for our elderly veterans is informed by the best experts and;

- provide families with options for lodging when their servicemember or veteran is receiving treatment far from home.

I want to thank all the members of our community that play an important role in improving the lives of veterans and their families.

I now yield to the Ranking Member for his opening remarks.