House Unanimously Passes Bill To Prioritize Veteran Survivors
In a rare moment of unity, the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives delivered a 424–0 vote to resurrect a critical office dedicated to supporting the families and loved ones of America’s military veterans. The legislative sweep, titled the “Prioritizing Veterans’ Survivors Act,” restores the Office of Survivors Assistance (OSA) to its original authority under the Secretary of Veterans Affairs — reversing what many critics long viewed as a misguided bureaucratic reshuffling by the Biden administration in 2021.
The measure, H.R. 1228, introduced by Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), explicitly amends Title 38 of the U.S. Code “to clarify the organization of the Office of Survivors Assistance of the Department of Veterans Affairs,” according to GovTrack. Once enacted, the OSA will again function as the chief adviser on policies affecting military families and survivors of fallen service members. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it is expected to draw broad support.
The overwhelming House vote comes at a moment when President Donald J. Trump’s approval rating is experiencing a modest upswing, powered by improving economic indicators and a public shift away from the inflation crisis that defined the Biden era.
A new Daily Mail/J.L. Partners survey shows Trump’s approval rating ticking upward from 45 percent on Nov. 21 to 47 percent as of Dec. 4. The poll sampled 1,000 registered voters and carries a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
The rise aligns with encouraging economic signals: inflation continues to cool, consumer spending is surging, and Americans are getting long-awaited relief at the pump. Holiday shopping shattered online records, with $44.2 billion spent across Thanksgiving weekend alone, according to Adobe Analytics. Gas prices have now dipped below $3 per gallon for the first time since 2021 — well under the average prices from the inflation-heavy years of 2022, 2023, and 2024, AAA reported.
Meanwhile, U.S. GDP growth has surged to its strongest level since the third quarter of 2023, driven largely by robust consumer activity, the Bureau of Economic Analysis confirmed.
The same poll found Trump’s disapproval at 53 percent — a reminder of the polarized landscape — but his administration is aggressively countering the left’s renewed messaging on “affordability,” a theme Democrats largely ignored during the inflation spike under former President Joe Biden.
“Our prices now for energy, for gasoline, are really low. Electricity is coming down. And when that comes down, everything comes down,” Trump told his Cabinet last week. “The word affordability is a Democrat scam. Affordability is a hoax that was started by Democrats who caused the problem of pricing.”
In response to persistent concerns about the cost of living, Trump has unleashed a flurry of policy actions aimed at cutting bureaucratic waste, loosening excessive regulations, and targeting industries where prices have been inflated artificially.
Earlier this week, he rolled back Biden-era gas-emission standards that critics said distorted markets and drove up costs. He also ordered pharmaceutical companies to reduce drug prices and launched TrumpRx — a direct-to-consumer White House drug portal designed to bypass “third-party” middlemen and lower prescription costs.
Additionally, a domestic policy package enacted in July will slash taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security income beginning next year — a move particularly popular among service workers and retirees.
To highlight these efforts, Trump has launched an “affordability tour,” aiming to cut through media talking points and speak directly to voters about the administration’s economic progress. His first stop is slated for a casino in northeastern Pennsylvania, where he will spotlight falling gas prices, his administration’s role in securing $100 billion in energy and AI investments for Pennsylvania, and new foreign investment approvals in U.S. Steel.
“He will kick off his economics-focused tour at a casino in northeastern Pennsylvania Tuesday, where he is expected to tout lower gas prices, his role securing $100 billion in energy and artificial intelligence investments for the Keystone State and his approval for Japanese investment in US Steel,” the New York Post reported.
The House’s unanimous backing for veterans’ survivors — paired with improving economic data — provides fresh momentum for President Trump as his administration enters another pivotal legislative season. With the Senate now weighing the veterans’ bill, and with economic tailwinds strengthening, the White House is aiming to show the country that conservative governance delivers meaningful results for American families, workers, and military communities alike.