Fisher House Availability Act of 2025
Description
This bill would expand eligibility for free lodging at Fisher Houses to more active duty members, veterans, and their families.
Summary
What it does
This bill would expand eligibility for no-cost temporary lodging at Fisher Houses to include active-duty service members and their families who must travel significant distances for medical care. It also proposes to extend eligibility to veterans and their family members when a family member requires travel for treatment at a Department of Veterans Affairs or non-VA facility. Additionally, the legislation would extend existing limits on pension amounts for certain hospitalized or institutionalized veterans through July 31, 2033.
Who is affected
This bill affects active-duty members of the uniformed services and their family members who must travel significant distances to receive medical care or services. It also impacts veterans and their families, as well as covered beneficiaries and their families, by expanding eligibility for no-cost temporary lodging at Fisher Houses. Additionally, the legislation affects certain hospitalized or institutionalized veterans by extending existing limitations on their pension amounts through July 31, 2033.
Key provisions
- Expansion of Fisher House eligibility for active duty members. Authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide no-cost lodging on a space-available basis to active duty members of the uniformed services and their companions when traveling significant distances for medical care.
- Lodging access for family members receiving medical treatment. Extends eligibility for Fisher House lodging to veterans, active duty members, and their families when a family member must travel a significant distance to receive healthcare services.
- Extension of pension limitations for institutionalized veterans. Extends the existing limitation on pension amounts for certain veterans who are hospitalized or institutionalized through July 31, 2033.
Fiscal impact
- H.R. 3726, Fisher House Availability Act of 2026· As ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on February 12, 2026
Effective dates
The bill extends the current limitation on pension amounts for certain hospitalized or institutionalized veterans through July 31, 2033.
Relationship to existing law
This bill expands existing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) authority regarding the Fisher House program by broadening eligibility for no-cost temporary lodging to include active duty service members and certain family members. Additionally, it extends an existing statutory limitation on pension amounts for specific hospitalized or institutionalized veterans through July 31, 2033.
Stated purpose
The bill aims to expand eligibility for no-cost temporary lodging at Fisher Houses to include active-duty service members, veterans, and their family members who must travel significant distances for medical care. Additionally, it extends existing limitations on pension amounts for certain hospitalized or institutionalized veterans through July 31, 2033.