Medal of Honor Act
Term Dictionary
If you come across any unfamiliar words while reading, these resources can help make everything clearer. Pick whichever one works best for you!
- Congress.gov Legislative Glossary - Comprehensive congressional terms
- NVFC Congressional Terms Glossary - Concise, easy-to-understand definitions
The gist
More than triples the monthly pension for living Medal of Honor recipients and links future payments to top veteran compensation rates.
Who wins, who loses
Wins: the roughly 60 living Medal of Honor recipients and their surviving spouses.
Loses: no one materially; cost is offset by extending an existing pension cap by 14 months.
What it does
Replaces the fixed $1,406.73 monthly pension with a rate tied to the top Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation level.
New rate equals roughly $4,800 per month, bumped to the next intermediate step.
Blocks double cost-of-living raises in the same year.
Extends a separate VA pension payment limit from November 2031 to January 2033 to pay for it.
Why should I care?
Supporters say the old rate hadn't kept pace and the nation's highest military honor deserves real recognition. Critics question extending unrelated pension limits on other veterans to fund it, calling that a hidden tradeoff. The bill passed both chambers with strong bipartisan support. Where do you land? Vote below and use "Tell Your Rep" to make sure your voice reaches Congress.