House Committee on Veterans' Affairs

The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs is the primary congressional panel responsible for overseeing the Department of Veterans Affairs and all federal programs serving military veterans. The committee has jurisdiction over veterans' compensation and disability pensions, health care and medical treatment, education benefits including the G.I. Bill, vocational rehabilitation, life insurance, home loan guarantees, and veterans' cemeteries. It also oversees the Veterans Benefits Administration, Veterans Health Administration, and National Cemetery Administration.

Bills referred to the committee follow a standard legislative process. The committee holds hearings on policy issues and specific bill proposals, develops legislation through a markup process where members propose amendments and vote on changes, and then reports approved bills to the full House for consideration. The committee operates through five subcommittees: Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, Economic Opportunity, Health, Oversight and Investigations, and Technology Modernization. Each subcommittee handles bills within its jurisdiction before they move to the full committee.

Chairman Mike Bost, a Republican from Illinois, leads the committee, while Ranking Member Mark Takano, a Democrat from California, represents the minority. The committee has 25 members total. Recent legislative activity reflects broad bipartisan focus on modernizing VA operations and expanding veteran services. In early 2026, the committee held a hearing on 27 bills addressing health care access, government accountability, education and workforce benefits, and infrastructure improvements at the VA. Bills under consideration include measures to improve mental health support, expand dental coverage, establish toxic exposure advisory committees, and streamline VA scheduling and administrative processes.