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Today, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, led by Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), reported out 5 bills to be eligible for consideration by the full House of Representatives, including Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.) and House Republicans landmark bill, H.R. 6047, the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, top priority legislation that seeks to increase the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) monthly compensation benefit for service-connected, catastrophically disabled veterans and the surviving families of 100% disabled or deceased servicemembers who were killed in action (KIA). Both these tax-free benefits, meant to financially support the loved ones for the loss of their disabled veteran, as well as those who live with life altering injuries have not been significantly increased in decades. Of the 11 Democrats on the Committee, all but one voted against the proposal. Remarks on each of the bills discussed during today’s markup can be found here.

“It is a stark stain on the good work done by this Committee, and to me as a veteran, that Ranking Member Takano and a majority of the Democrat members of the VA Committee voted against reporting out Rep. Barrett’s bill today,” said Chairman Bost. “This bill seeks to do one thing – good – for the men and women who have served this great country and live with lifechanging injuries as a result of their service, as well as the American families who were left behind by those who gave their lives in defense of freedom. In December of last year, Sgt. Edmundson’s father and Sharri Briley – the surviving spouse of American hero Donovan Briley – testified before our committee with tears in their eyes – explaining the impact this benefits increase would have on them and the hundreds of thousands of American families like them, not as payout, but to make ends meet,” Chairman Bost continued. “I hope our Democratic colleagues who voted no will take a moment to reflect on why they serve on the VA Committee, and put politics aside, and vote for this good bill when House Republicans bring it to the House Floor for a vote,” Chairman Bost continued. “Should my Democratic colleagues fail to find that reminder of why they serve on this Committee on their own, I would humbly encourage them to drive fifteen minutes over the bridge to the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery to bring to mind the families this bill seeks to support.”

H.R. 6047 is named after Sharri Briley, the surviving spouse of CWO3 Donovan Lee ‘Bull’ Briley, an Army Special Operations Blackhawk helicopter pilot who tragically lost his life in Mogadishu, Somalia during Operation Gothic Serpent (commonly known as the Black Hawk Down incident) in 1993. The bill is also named after Army veteran Sergeant Eric Edmundson, Eric’s Humvee was hit by an IED on October 2, 2005, in Iraq. Eric sustained lifechanging injuries – including an anoxic brain injury – which changed the course of his life by ending his ability to speak or walk. Despite these challenges, Eric continues to lead a full life through enhanced medical technology and therapy. To read more about Sharri’s story, click here. To read more about Eric’s story of service and his life today, click here.

“Increasing benefits for our disabled veterans and Gold Star families is long overdue. This bill is a major step towards making good on our commitment to the veterans who sacrificed so much defending our nation. I’m proud of our committee coming together to pass this legislation to increase critical financial support for catastrophically injured veterans like Sgt. Eric Edmundson and survivors like Sharri Briley. Now it’s time to get this across the finish line and signed into law for our nation’s heroes,” said H.R. 6047’s lead sponsor, Rep. Barrett.

To watch Mr. Edgar Edmundson, father of Sgt. Eric Edmundson’s, testimony before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on the impact this bill would have on his family, click here. To learn more about H.R. 6047, click here. For a full list of the 20+ veteran service organizations and advocacy groups who support the bill, click here.

In addition to H.R. 6047, the following bills were reported out of the Committee today:

H.R. 3726 – Fisher House Availability Act of 2025 (Rep. Miller-Meeks)

H.R. 785 – Representing our Seniors at VA Act of 2025 (Rep. Kiggans)

H.R. 3482 – Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act (Rep. Barrett)

H.R. 2148 – Veteran Caregiver Reeducation, Reemployment, and Retirement Act (Rep. Morelle)