A significant piece of proposed legislation—the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2025 (H.R. 6047)—is currently being debated in the House of Representatives. This bill aims to provide the first substantial increase in decades to two critical VA benefits for the most severely disabled Veterans and surviving spouses.

What is H.R. 6047?

This legislation seeks to expand financial support for two crucial groups:

Benefit Proposed Increase Who Benefits?
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) $10,000 Annual Increase Catastrophically disabled Veterans (SMC R.1, R.2, T) who require continuous aid and attendance due to the severity of their service-connected injuries.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) 1% Annual Increase for five years (in addition to COLA) Surviving spouses and dependents of Veterans whose deaths were service-connected. This would be the first meaningful base-rate increase for DIC since 1993.

The Controversy: Funding the Expansion

While the goal of increasing benefits is widely supported, the proposed method to fund the expansion has sparked a significant debate among lawmakers and Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs).

The Proposed Funding Mechanism:

The bill proposes to offset the estimated $7 billion cost over 10 years by ending the VA home loan funding fee exemption for certain disabled Veterans.

  • This exemption would be removed for Veterans with a disability rating of 70% or less when using their VA loan benefit for a second or subsequent home purchase.

  • Crucially: First-time use of the VA loan remains exempt, and all Veterans rated 71% and above maintain the funding fee exemption on all loans.

Opponents argue that paying for one group’s expanded benefits by imposing a fee on another group of disabled Veterans creates an unfair burden.

Where Does the Bill Stand Now?

  • Bill Number: H.R. 6047

  • Status: The bill was introduced on November 17, 2025, and has since had a Committee Hearing before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

The future of H.R. 6047 depends on whether Congress can find consensus on the proposed funding strategy. We will continue to track this important legislation as it moves through the process.

Want to learn more about the bill?

The bill is named to honor two individuals whose experiences highlight the necessity of these benefits:

Sharri Briley: A surviving spouse whose family’s experience underscores the outdated nature of current DIC rates.

Eric Edmundson: A catastrophically disabled Veteran who requires continuous, high-level care, demonstrating the acute need for increased SMC funding.