Key facts
- House Republicans passed the Take Care of America's Veterans Act by voice vote on November 11, 2026.
- A Democratic leadership aide said Republicans passed the bill within seconds while members evaluated changes.
- The bill would change VA disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus, per The Hill.
- It also covers VA personnel, hiring and infrastructure and sets screening for some mental health programs.
- House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chair Mike Bost, the sponsor, said the package cuts through VA bureaucracy.
House Republicans passed the Take Care of America's Veterans Act by voice vote on November 11, 2026, a federal holiday, using a fast-track tactic that Democrats called a "dirty trick," Just the News reported.
The bill is designed to increase pay for disabled and injured veterans. According to The Hill, it also changes Veterans Affairs disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus and expands eligibility for a memorial headstone or marker for a spouse. It addresses VA personnel, hiring and infrastructure and establishes a screening process for admission to certain mental health care programs.
After Democratic Whip Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts urged Democrats to vote no, the bill was brought up while the ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Mark Takano of California, was away from the podium where he had been leading the Democratic side of debate to discuss changes to the bill. Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., who was presiding over the chamber, brought the bill up for consideration. When no Democrat demanded a recorded vote, McDowell declared the bill passed by voice vote.
A Democratic leadership aide said House Republicans called the vote up and passed it by voice within seconds, depriving Democrats of the ability to evaluate the proposed changes and ask for a recorded vote. "On Veterans Day of all days, using dirty tricks to steal from Veterans is a disgrace," the aide said, according to the outlet.
House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chair Mike Bost, R-Ill., who sponsored the bill, wrote on X that the package delivers "long overdue reforms to strengthen veterans' healthcare, expand benefits, and cut through VA bureaucracy."