House Unanimously Passes Bill To Prioritize Veteran Survivors

In a rare show of total bipartisan unity, the House of Representatives voted 424-0 on Wednesday to pass a bill that revives a key office advocating for families of fallen U.S. military service members.

The measure, H.R. 1228, known as the “Prioritizing Veterans’ Survivors Act,” restores the Office of Survivors Assistance (OSA) to its original position under the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The office will once again function as the primary adviser on policies impacting survivors of veterans, reversing a 2021 move that had sidelined its role.

The bill, led by Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), amends Title 38 of the U.S. Code “to clarify the organization of the Office of Survivors Assistance of the Department of Veterans Affairs,” as noted by GovTrack. The legislation now advances to the Senate for further consideration.

VA Secretary Doug Collins Pushes Back on Rumors, Backs Reforms

VA Secretary Doug Collins, a former congressman and Air Force Reserve chaplain, has recently voiced strong support for efficiency efforts within the department—crediting Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency for bringing in a fresh perspective.

“I’m going to make decisions best for my employees and best for the veterans. They’re giving us good advice, looking with fresh eyes,” Collins said in an interview with NewsNation. “We need to make sure we’re doing the best we can for those veterans out there.”

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In that same interview, Collins addressed circulating “rumors” about potential cuts to VA benefits under a Trump-led administration.

“We’re putting Veterans number one back at the VA,” he said, acknowledging that while reform might bring some discomfort, the mission to serve veterans remains the top priority.

One persistent claim was that VA health services were being diminished—Collins firmly denied it. He stated that over 300,000 mission-critical jobs have been retained, securing continuous health care and benefits for veterans. He also tackled speculation about benefit reductions.

“They’re not,” he stated. Instead, he said the department has redirected nearly $98 million to better serve veterans.

Rumors also swirled about layoffs affecting the Veterans Crisis Line. Collins addressed that directly:

“We did not lay off any Veteran Crisis Line responders,” he confirmed. The line remains fully staffed to support those in crisis.

He then urged veterans and their families to go straight to the source for reliable information.

“When you want the truth, come to me, not the Whopper line up on Capitol Hill,” he said, pushing back on politically charged misinformation.

Still, Stars and Stripes reported that Collins had sent “an email sent to employees Friday evening” announcing a voluntary deferred resignation or retirement program ahead of a planned workforce reduction later this fiscal year.

According to the report, employees approved for the program will continue to receive full pay and benefits through September 30, which marks the end of the fiscal year.