In what can only be described as a miracle of modern governance, the U.S. House of Representatives managed to vote on something without a single member throwing a tantrum. The final tally on H.R. 1228, the Prioritizing Veterans' Survivors Act, was 424-0. Zero. As in, not one person found a reason to object to helping the families of dead veterans. The bar is low, folks, but they cleared it.
As Conservative Brief reported, the bill restores the Office of Survivors Assistance to its original mission under the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, making it the chief advocate for military families and survivors of service members lost in the line of duty. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, amends Title 38 of the United States Code and essentially undoes a 2021 decision that apparently sidelined the office's advocacy role. The bill now heads to the Senate, where bipartisan goodwill traditionally goes to die a slow procedural death.
Meanwhile, VA Secretary Doug Collins has been busy playing whack-a-mole with rumors about cuts to veterans' benefits under the Trump administration. Collins, a former GOP congressman from Georgia who also serves as a colonel and chaplain in the Air Force Reserve, categorically rejected claims that VA health care would deteriorate. He pointed to 300,000 mission-critical positions being preserved to keep services running. On the rumor that benefits were being slashed, Collins offered a concise rebuttal: "They're not." He noted the VA had actually redirected nearly $98 million toward veterans' care and services.
Collins also addressed claims that Veterans Crisis Line responders were being laid off. "We did not lay off any Veteran Crisis Line responders," he said, adding that crisis call staff remain in place. He then encouraged veterans to get their information directly from the VA instead of the rumor mill, which is solid advice for basically every topic in American life right now.
In other congressional news that is decidedly less unanimous, the House passed a fiscal year 2027 appropriations bill on a 217-209 vote that funds the State Department and national security programs. House Republicans attached the SAVE America Act to the legislation before sending it to the Senate, a move that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. President Trump has called it a top priority.
The Senate is widely expected to strip the SAVE America Act from the package before considering final passage, because the Senate enjoys nothing more than removing things the House worked hard to attach. Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana told Fox News Digital that "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 the House has passed this year, following bills covering military construction, VA facilities, and an agriculture bill that included $1.16 billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. So Congress is technically doing its job. Circle today on the calendar.
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