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Markup on Pending Legislation

House Veterans Affairs Committee, Health Subcommittee

April 16, 2026 (recording here)

BILLS CONSIDERED IN MARKUP

• H.R. 2283, the Recognizing Community Organizations for Veteran Engagement and Recovery (RECOVER) Act

• H.R. 6993, the BEACON Act of 2026

• H.R. 6652, the U.S. Vets of the FAS Act

• H.R. 6444, the Blast Overpressure Research and Mitigation Task Force Act

• H.R. 5999, To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish an opioid antagonist to a veteran without requiring a prescription or copayment

• H.R. 6848, the Whole Health for Veterans Act

• H.R. 6001, the Veterans with ALS Reporting Act

OTHER INFORMATION

At the conclusion of the markup, the Subcommittee favorably reported all seven bills to the full Committee.

Only two bills did not move forward unanimously: the Recognizing Community Organizations for Veteran Engagement and Recovery (RECOVER) Act (H.R. 2283) and the BEACON Act of 2026 (H.R. 6993). These votes were recorded and split down party lines, 7-5.

OPENING STATEMENTS FROM THE SUBCOMMITTEE

• Chairwoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks stated that there were seven bills under consideration, many lacking full Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates and offsets. She acknowledged that offsets would be added later to comply with House rules and protect taxpayers. She also noted that the markup process would allow for further improvements to the legislation and collaboration with Ranking Member Brownley and other members.

• Ranking Member Julia Brownley waived her opening remarks in the interest of time.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS ON H.R. 2283

• Chairwoman Miller-Meeks called up the Recognizing Community Organizations for Veteran Engagement and Recovery (RECOVER) Act (H.R. 2283) and introduced her amendment in the nature of a substitute (ANS).

• The Chairwoman spoke in favor of the ANS, arguing that it aimed to expand access to innovative mental health care for veterans when VA treatments had not worked. She asserted that the ANS required accreditation, evidence-based care, and familiarity with veteran-specific issues. She also highlighted the inclusion of family and couples therapy as a key improvement.

• Ranking Member Brownley strongly opposed the bill, stating that a grant program for community providers was unnecessary because existing VA community care programs already allowed participation. She expressed concerns about accountability, oversight, and potential “double dipping” in funding. She then criticized the removal of culturally competent care provisions and argued that the bill lacked safeguards to ensure quality and transparency.

• Rep. Herb Conaway also voiced concerns, expressing dismay that culturally competent care provisions had been removed. He argued that understanding cultural context improved patient outcomes and treatment adherence.

• After a recorded vote was requested on the ANS, the ANS was agreed to along a party-line vote of 7-5. The bill, as amended, was then favorably forwarded to the full Committee.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS ON H.R. 6993

• Chairwoman Miller-Meeks brought up the BEACON Act of 2026 (H.R. 6993), and Rep. Jack Bergman spoke in favor of the bill and his ANS. He described it as a bipartisan effort to improve treatment for chronic mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). He outlined the bill’s two grant programs for research and innovation, as well as their provisions for maintaining VA oversight. He stressed that the bill did not privatize care and included safeguards, accountability, and sunset provisions.

  • Ranking Member Brownley acknowledged improvements made to the original bill text in the ANS but said that it still lacked key changes requested by Democrats. She indicated that additional amendments would be offered to strengthen oversight and accountability.

  • Rep. Derrick Van Orden supported the bill and the ANS, citing personal experiences with veteran suicides and arguing that action was urgently needed. He passionately claimed that even an imperfect solution was worthwhile if it could save lives.

• Rep. Kelly Morrison offered an amendment to the ANS, strengthening reporting requirements, adverse event tracking, and evaluation standards.

  • Chairwoman Miller-Meeks opposed the amendment, arguing it would add bureaucracy and slow implementation.

  • A recorded vote failed 5-7, along party lines.

• Rep. Conaway introduced his amendment to the ANS, reducing the maximum grant amount to fund more clinical trials.

  • The Chairwoman opposed it, believing it would underfund research and reduce effectiveness.

  • The recorded vote again failed along party lines, 5-7.

• Ranking Member Brownley’s first amendment to the ANS proposed preventing the diversion of existing VA mental health funds in the bill text.

  • Rep. Bergman spoke in opposition to the amendment. He said that the text was drafted with the Democratic cosponsor, and removing it would create funding uncertainty and delay implementation.

  • The recorded vote failed 5-7, along party lines.

• The Ranking Member then spoke on her second amendment to the ANS. She suggested adding language that would prohibit entities from receiving both grants in the same year.

  • Chairwoman Miller-Meeks opposed the amendment, pointing to research institutions with multiple programs that would be hindered by such a measure.

  • The recorded vote again failed along a 5-7 party line.

• Once all amendments to the ANS failed, the ANS was put to a recorded vote. It passed 7-5, and the bill, as amended, advanced to the full Committee with the same number of Republican vs. Democratic votes.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS ON THE EN BLOC

• Chairwoman Miller-Meeks moved to consider the U.S. Vets of the FAS Act (H.R. 6652), the Blast Overpressure Research and Mitigation Task Force Act (H.R. 6444), and H.R. 5999 en bloc. All bills in the en bloc had a respective ANS.

• Ranking Member Brownley supported the package, highlighting H.R. 5999 as life-saving and H.R. 6652 as a meaningful step forward for veterans in American territories.

• Rep. Kimberlyn King-Hinds briefly spoke on her bill and ANS, appreciating her colleagues and their support for improving access to VA care for veterans in freely associated states through telehealth and pharmacy services.

• Rep. Conaway explained that his bill and ANS would eliminate prescription requirements and co-pays for naloxone to improve overdose response. Rep. Morrison also spoke on the high overdose risk among veterans and supported naloxone access through H.R. 5999.

• All en bloc bills were agreed to via voice vote and favorably forwarded, as amended, to the full Committee.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS ON H.R. 6001

• Chairwoman Miller-Meeks then brought up the Veterans with ALS Reporting Act (H.R. 6001) .

• Ranking Member Brownley explained that the bill would improve data collection, research, and access to clinical trials for veterans with ALS. She underscored the urgency due to higher ALS rates among veterans.

• Rep. Van Orden argued that the legislation focused too much on study and delayed action. He advocated for faster, more direct intervention policies and announced that he would be introducing a more expedient bill shortly.

• Rep. Maxine Dexter pushed back, stating that more research was necessary to understand causes and improve early detection and treatment.

• Rep. Van Orden reiterated his opposition to the bill.

• By voice vote, the bill was favorably forwarded to the full Committee.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS ON H.R. 6848

• The Chairwoman called up the Whole Health for Veterans Act (H.R. 6848). She supported the intent of the bill, but expressed concern that eliminating co-pays could increase costs and utilization without ensuring effectiveness.

• Ranking Member Brownley spoke in favor of the bill, supporting the removal of co-pays for whole health services. She argued that costs discouraged veterans from using beneficial programs.

• The bill was favorably forwarded to the full Committee by voice vote.

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