1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

As your constituent, I am writing to urge both the House and the Senate to protect earned veterans' benefits during the final weeks of the 119th Congress—and ensure Congress never forces future disabled veterans to pay for their own benefits. On Veterans Day, the House passed H.R. 9237, the Take Care of America's Veterans Act, by voice vote—avoiding a recorded roll call on a roughly 600-page bundle of over 60 bills. One day later, on Nov. 12, the House passed the standalone Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102) by an overwhelming 392–18 vote, ending the offset that bars medically retired combat veterans from receiving both full military retirement pay and VA disability compensation. While H.R. 9237 (and Senate companion S. 4744) includes the Star Act and the Love Lives On Act, it uses future disabled veterans as a piggy bank to pay for the broader package: - Section 108 rewrites VA disability rating rules for future tinnitus and sleep apnea claims. Existing ratings are protected, but VFW and DAV cite VA estimates of up to $57 billion in reduced compensation over 10 years, affecting up to 1.5 million future claimants. - Section 104 nearly triples the VA IRRRL home loan refinance fee from 0.5% to 1.42% for non-exempt veterans. Because of these offsets, VFW, DAV, IAVA, and Paralyzed Veterans of America oppose H.R. 9237 and S. 4744, even as the American Legion and MOAA back the broader package. The standalone Star Act (H.R. 2102 / S. 1032) has 341 House cosponsors and 81 Senate cosponsors. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the clean bill costs $13 billion over 10 years—a fraction of the $57 billion cut by Section 108—yet PAYGO rules have stalled it. As DAV has noted, Congress routinely waives PAYGO for other priorities. Before this Congress adjourns, I urge you to: 1. Pass the standalone Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102 / S. 1032) and the Love Lives On Act in both chambers without disability-rating offsets. 2. Reject Section 108 and Section 104 (the IRRRL refinance fee hike) in any final version of H.R. 9237 / S. 4744 considered by either chamber. 3. Waive PAYGO for earned veterans' benefits legislation, as DAV has requested, rather than forcing disabled veterans to fund their own benefits. 4. Insist on recorded roll-call votes—opposing any voice vote or unanimous consent shortcut—on any bill altering VA disability ratings or home loan fees. Veterans Day is for keeping promises, not asking one generation of disabled veterans to fund another. I expect you to act before this Congress adjourns.