President Trump signed three bills for improving veterans’ services. The new laws provide greater financial oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs, qualify more disabled veterans for affordable housing programs, and connect veterans with handicaps to assistance based on current employment skills. (Stars and Stripes)
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed into law a pair of bills to help disabled veterans obtain low-income housing and shorten their wait times for vocational rehabilitation and job training.
Trump also put his signature on the VA Budget Shortfall Accountability Act, which orders an independent audit of reported funding shortfalls at the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2024 and 2025.
The Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act, which the president signed into law Jan. 20, enables veterans with illnesses and injuries from military service to exclude monthly disability compensation when applying for certain housing assistance.
Led in the House by Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, the bill aims to prevent veterans who may be out of work or underemployed because of their disabilities from exceeding income thresholds to qualify for help.
De La Cruz said the legislation will enable more disabled veterans to access safe and affordable housing.
The legislation prevents the Department of Housing and Urban Development from counting VA benefits when determining eligibility for public housing and other programs that make renting and owning homes more affordable.
The FAST VETS Act, which Trump also signed into law last week, seeks to make the Veterans Readiness and Employment Program more responsive and useful for disabled veterans.
The VA program was set up to connect veterans with job training, education, employment accommodations, resume development and job coaching to prepare for interviews.
Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., a physician who led the House version of the bill, said enrollment in the Veterans Readiness and Employment program increased significantly after passage of the PACT Act, which recognized specific toxic exposures during military service as causing or aggravating injuries and illnesses.
“This surge has resulted in longer wait times for veterans looking to access the program and delays in connecting with counselors,” she said.
The legislation seeks to streamline the Veterans Readiness and Employment program to enable counselors to serve more veterans trying to prepare for employment.
The bill also requires that the individualized plans developed for veterans for job training and vocational rehabilitation be updated when there are changes affecting health status and disability.
Veterans work with a counselor to develop a vocational rehabilitation plan, when they enter the Veterans Readiness and Employment program.
The individualized plan creates a pathway for obtaining training, education and assistance veterans need to reach job goals. The plan is a blueprint that reflects employable skills as well as limitations from disabilities.
Dexter said the bill prioritizes “outcome-focused planning to support veteran success.”
Rep. Mark Messmer, R-Ind., a co-sponsor, said the legislation gives veterans injured during military service “better and more efficient tools” to rejoin the workforce.
Both House sponsors said the legislation helps ensure that employment plans are appropriate and effective.
The VA Budget Shortfall Accountability Act aims to prevent fiscal mismanagement at the VA, the federal government’s second-largest department by workforce size, trailing only the Defense Department.
In fiscal 2026, the VA budget is $441.3 billion, a 10% increase over the 2025 enacted level. Spending priorities focus on medical care, projected to top $165 billion, as well as modernizing the VA’s computerized patient records system.
