House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.) opened a legislative hearing today to discuss H.R. 6047, known as the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act. The bill aims to increase monthly compensation benefits for service-connected, catastrophically disabled veterans and for the surviving families of servicemembers killed in action or those who were 100% disabled or deceased. According to Bost, these Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits have not seen a significant increase in decades.
Bost began by recognizing Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who is recovering from injuries, and Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, who died from her injuries. He noted the commitment of National Guard members when called to serve and acknowledged their families' sacrifices.
The committee also considered H.R. 4077, the GUARD Veterans’ Healthcare Act, during the hearing.
Addressing witnesses present at the hearing, Bost said: "Mr. Edmundson, thank you to you and your family for traveling to Washington to be here." He continued: "Mrs. Briley, thank you for traveling to be here." He added: "The institution of Congress and this Committee is honored to have two great Americans like you both – sitting before us today."
Explaining the intent behind H.R. 6047, Bost stated: "This landmark bill would create a significant increase in benefits for a forgotten group of veterans and their families." The legislation proposes a permanent annual increase of 1% in VA’s Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) over five years. DIC is a tax-free benefit provided to surviving spouses and dependents if their loved one’s death was related to active duty or service-connected causes or if they were rated 100% disabled for ten years.
"While D.I.C. is increased to keep up with inflation, the base-rate has not been increased since 1993—that’s over thirty years," Bost said.
He highlighted that Sharri Briley is the surviving spouse of Donovan Lee ‘Bull’ Briley, an Army helicopter pilot killed during the Black Hawk Down incident in Somalia in 1993.
"This bill would help us do that," he remarked about fulfilling President Lincoln's promise that military families would be cared for after loss.
The bill also includes a provision for increasing special monthly compensation by $10,000 for catastrophically disabled veterans receiving certain high-level care rates—R.1, R.2., or T.—who require regular aid under medical supervision.
Bost emphasized: "Veterans like Eric Edmundson...Eric’s parents, his sister, his wife, and his children care for him every single day."
To fund these changes—estimated at more than seven billion dollars—the proposal requires veterans rated at 70% disability or below to pay a home loan funding fee on second homes; no changes are proposed for first-time homebuyers using VA loans.
"This ensures that veterans still have access to the American Dream of owning a home without paying the funding fee on their first use," Bost explained.
He described this as “the first realistic attempt by Congress...to get something done for over 500,000 recipients of these V.A. benefits.”
Bost addressed concerns about bipartisanship: "I remain concerned by the lack of bipartisanship and rhetoric that continues to come from our friends of the other side of the aisle during these debates on bills that would directly address the problems we serve on this Committee to solve."
He expressed disappointment at not receiving feedback from Democratic colleagues but reiterated his focus on achieving results: "Under my leadership, I live in the real world, and I’m focused on getting things done."
Turning attention briefly toward H.R. 4077—the GUARD Veterans Health Care Act—Bost voiced serious reservations:
"Despite its promising title, this bill risks doing the exact opposite of what it claims—it could harm veterans." He argued it could lead Medicare Advantage plans—which many veterans rely upon—to absorb new costs resulting in reduced benefits and higher premiums while drawing more than $1 billion annually from Medicare’s Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.
"I should remind my Democratic colleagues that veterans earn their V.A. benefits, and their Medicare benefits," he said. "It is wrong to put these two programs at odds with each other."
Bost concluded by yielding time to Ranking Member Takano.
