Congress Unveils Sweeping 60-Bill Veterans Package, Setting Stage for Largest Benefits Expansion in Years

The bipartisan Take Care of America's Veterans Act combines more than 60 veteran-focused measures, including the Major Richard Star Act, survivor benefit reforms, expanded disability compensation, and VA modernization initiatives ahead of America's 250th anniversary.

WASHINGTON | Congressional leaders have unveiled one of the most ambitious veterans legislative packages in recent memory, combining more than 60 bipartisan bills into a single measure that could significantly expand benefits, strengthen support for military survivors, modernize Department of Veterans Affairs services, and address long-standing compensation inequities affecting tens of thousands of veterans.

The proposed legislation, titled the Take Care of America's Veterans Act (H.R. 9237), represents months of negotiations between House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee leaders and is being positioned as Congress's signature veterans initiative ahead of the nation's semiquincentennial celebration in 2026.

If enacted, the legislation would impact combat-injured retirees, Gold Star families, surviving spouses, catastrophically disabled veterans, military caregivers, and millions of veterans who rely on VA healthcare and benefits programs.

"This legislation represents our nation's sacred promise to those who serve and those they leave behind," said Bonnie Carroll, founder and president of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).

Trump’s Push to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent

Legislative efforts to make daylight saving time permanent year-round received a boost from President Donald Trump, who criticized the twice-yearly clock-switching as cost-prohibitive.

But there is no strong evidence that Trump’s solution — switching permanently to daylight saving time — would provide the economic boost Trump suggests it would.

The Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent year-round unless states opt out, was folded into a motor vehicle safety bill that passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on May 21 with a 48-1 vote.

Shortly after, Trump posted his support on Truth Social.

“This is so important in that Hundreds of Millions of Dollars are spent every year by people, Cities, and States, being forced to change their Clocks. Many of these Clocks are located in Towers, and the cost of renting, or using, Heavy Equipment to do this twice a year is prohibitive!” Trump wrote.

Trump Misrepresents Climate Change Scenarios

In a May 16 Truth Social post, President Donald Trump cited updated climate change scenarios to misleadingly claim that experts had “admitted” prior climate change projections were WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!” The regularly scheduled revision reflects, in part, the progress the world has made on moving away from fossil fuels.

Trump was reacting to a new set of seven scenarios of emissions by the end of the century, proposed in an April 7 paper by an international group of scientists. Over time, the range of plausible scenarios has narrowed. The most pessimistic scenario now shows lower emissions than 15 years ago, when the prior scenarios were developed, while the most optimistic one now shows higher emissions.

Trump, however, used the update to cast doubt on the reality and seriousness of global warming. “GOOD RIDDANCE!” he wrote. “After 15 years of Dumocrats promising that ‘Climate Change’ is going to destroy the Planet, the United Nations TOP Climate Committee just admitted that its own projections (RCP8.5) were WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!”

RCP8.5 was the most pessimistic of four scenarios that were selected in 2007 and described in 2011. The scenarios looked at how much the climate might change by 2100, relative to the industrial revolution.

IRS Watchdog Report Finds Data-Matching Failures in IRS-ICE Information Sharing Program

Inspector General Says Taxpayer Records Were Not Consistently Matched as Federal Deportation Effort Expanded

WASHINGTON | IRS systems used to support immigration enforcement efforts failed to consistently and accurately match taxpayer records with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data, according to a new government watchdog report that raises questions about one of the most controversial information-sharing initiatives of the Trump administration's immigration agenda.

A report released Monday by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) found that the Internal Revenue Service encountered significant shortcomings when attempting to identify taxpayer records requested by ICE as part of a broader federal effort to locate undocumented immigrants subject to deportation proceedings.

The findings represent the most comprehensive government review to date of the IRS-ICE data-sharing arrangement, which emerged as a key component of the administration's effort to strengthen immigration enforcement through interagency cooperation.

According to the report, IRS matching systems were "unable to identify and match the records accurately and consistently," resulting in both missed matches and the potential inclusion of records that should have been excluded from the process.

The agreement between the two agencies was designed to allow ICE access to certain taxpayer information, including Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) and last known addresses, for individuals identified in immigration enforcement actions. Federal officials sought the information as part of broader efforts to locate and remove undocumented immigrants residing in the United States.

Data Quality Problems Complicated Enforcement Efforts

Investigators found that inconsistencies in how ICE formatted and submitted information significantly hindered the IRS's ability to accurately process requests.

The report noted that differences in names, spelling variations, and inconsistent data formatting often prevented taxpayer records from being matched correctly across agency databases. As a result, legitimate records may have gone unmatched, while the IRS's screening processes failed to reject some submissions that did not meet established criteria.

Congress Targets ‘Claims Sharks’ as Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Protect Veterans from Benefits Fraud

The SAFEGUARD Veterans Act would crack down on unaccredited claims consultants, restore criminal penalties, and strengthen protections against predatory actors profiting from veterans’ disability claims.

WASHINGTON | A bipartisan group of lawmakers is advancing legislation aimed at protecting veterans from so-called “claims sharks,” predatory individuals and companies accused of exploiting former service members by charging excessive fees for assistance with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claims.

The proposed legislation, known as the Stopping Abuse, Fraud, and Exploitation by Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding (SAFEGUARD) Veterans Act, would significantly tighten oversight of the VA claims process and strengthen enforcement against unaccredited agents who profit from veterans seeking earned benefits.

Supporters say the bill addresses a growing national concern as veterans increasingly report being targeted by firms that promise assistance navigating the often-complex disability claims system but charge substantial fees for services that accredited organizations provide free of charge.

“These brave men and women earned their benefits, and it’s our job to stop any bad actors who try to take advantage and scam them,” said U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., one of several lawmakers backing the legislation.

Restoring Oversight to the VA Claims Process

The legislation would require that only VA-accredited individuals and organizations assist veterans with benefit claims. It would also restore criminal penalties for unaccredited agents found engaging in fraudulent or deceptive practices.

Additional provisions would:

• Close regulatory loopholes used by unaccredited claims consultants.
• Prohibit the use of robocalls and automated technologies to obtain veterans’ claims information.
• Direct the VA to establish systems to track accredited representatives and report fraudulent actors.
• Increase veteran education and awareness efforts regarding scams and predatory claims practices.
• Strengthen enforcement tools available to federal authorities investigating benefits fraud.

Veterans advocates argue that many former service members are unaware they can receive claims assistance at no cost through accredited Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), county veteran service officers, and VA-approved representatives.

Trump Orders New Acting DNI Bill Pulte to Shrink Intelligence Office, Signaling Major Overhaul of U.S. Spy Bureaucracy

President directs newly appointed acting intelligence chief to begin workforce reductions at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, deepening an effort to streamline the intelligence community amid growing congressional scrutiny.

WASHINGTON | President Donald Trump has directed newly appointed Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to reduce the size of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), signaling a continuation of the administration's broader effort to reshape and streamline the U.S. intelligence community.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Friday while traveling to Wisconsin, Trump praised Pulte and openly endorsed additional cuts to the intelligence office, arguing that the agency has become excessively large and inefficient.

"He'll do a very good job," Trump told reporters. "He'll watch it closely, but Bill Pulte is very good; he's very talented. If he cut, I wouldn't mind that."

The comments provide the clearest indication yet that the White House intends to continue downsizing the ODNI following significant workforce and budget reductions implemented earlier in Trump's second term.

Female Navy Officers Warn of Career Ceiling After Hegseth Removes Women From Admiral Promotion List

Pentagon's decision to strike nine officers—including all female selectees—from a Navy admiral promotion slate sparks concerns over retention, leadership diversity, and the future of military talent management.

WASHINGTON | A growing number of female Navy officers are expressing concern that recent intervention by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the military promotion process could have lasting consequences for leadership development, retention, and morale across the U.S. armed forces.

The controversy stems from Hegseth's decision to remove nine officers from a previously approved Navy promotion list, including all three women selected for advancement from captain to the rank of rear admiral (lower half), commonly referred to as a one-star admiral.

As a result, the Navy will not promote a single woman to flag officer rank this cycle despite women representing approximately one-quarter of Navy officers and nearly one-third of the service's mid-grade officer corps, according to recent personnel data.

Promotion Decision Raises Questions

According to defense officials familiar with the process, the original promotion slate included 31 officers selected through the Navy's traditional promotion board.

Those recommendations had already received approval from senior Navy leadership, civilian leadership within the Department of the Navy, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before reaching the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

The Pentagon has not publicly explained why the nine officers were removed from the list.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell defended the administration's broader approach to military promotions, stating that advancement decisions should be based solely on merit and qualifications rather than demographic characteristics.

"Military promotions are given to those who have earned them," Parnell said publicly. "We will never consider the color of a service member's skin or their gender as a factor in promotions."

Pentagon Slashes Recognized Military Faith Codes From 211 to 31, Sparking Debate Over Religious Freedom in the Ranks

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive removes approximately 180 faith-and-belief categories from Defense Department records, prompting criticism from chaplains, veterans, and religious-liberty advocates.

The Department of Defense has officially reduced the number of recognized religious affiliation codes available to U.S. service members from 211 to 31, marking the most significant revision to the military’s faith classification system in nearly a decade and igniting a growing debate over religious freedom, chaplain support, and military readiness.

The change, outlined in a May 20, 2026, memorandum signed by Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata, follows guidance from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to streamline the department’s process for tracking religious preferences among military personnel.

According to the memorandum, the revised system is intended to improve the military chaplaincy's ability to anticipate and provide religious support to service members.

"The new list will provide chaplains with clear, readily available information that will better enable them to anticipate the religious support needs of service members and to provide religious support activities that align with service members’ personal faith and practices," Tata wrote.