House Republicans postponed a vote on H.R. 9237, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, for the second time on Thursday. The decision followed a narrow 211-210 victory in defeating a motion to return the bill to committee. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated the measure would be reconsidered in September, attributing the delay to what he characterized as misinformation regarding the bill's provisions.
The legislation packages over 60 bills, including the Major Richard Star Act, which would permit combat-injured veterans to receive full military retirement pay alongside disability benefits. To offset the estimated $60 billion cost, the bill proposes reducing future disability benefits for sleep apnea and tinnitus. It also includes measures to expand private healthcare options for veterans and modify collective bargaining rights for VA psychologists.
House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost argued that the benefit changes are necessary to reinvest savings into other veteran programs before the executive branch implements similar regulatory adjustments. Rep. Mark Takano and other House Democrats opposed the bill, stating that the proposed offsets could lead to benefit reductions for current service members and veterans seeking new disability ratings. Takano also criticized the bill as an attempt to block a discharge petition intended to bring the Major Richard Star Act to a vote as a standalone measure.