Joe Neguse (D-CO)
Sergeant Sam Wybenga Housing Fairness for Veteran Families Act
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Sergeant Sam Wybenga Housing Fairness for Veteran Families Act. It directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to set up a grant program for certain surviving spouses to help pay for housing. To qualify, a surviving spouse must be married to a disabled veteran and currently receive dependency and indemnity compensation. The Secretary must give priority for these grants based on financial need. The bill authorizes $250,000,000 to be appropriated for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to run the program.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +6
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
The legislation directly supports the families and surviving spouses of disabled veterans.
- Scored +6
Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive?
The bill establishes a new housing grant program for eligible surviving spouses of disabled veterans.
- Scored +5
Does this make housing cost less?
The bill establishes a grant program specifically to help eligible surviving spouses of disabled veterans pay for housing.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes $250,000,000 in appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to fund the housing grant program.
- Scored -1
Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?
The bill authorizes new spending without specifying corresponding revenue offsets.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Housing Financial Assistance: Under Section 2(a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to establish a program that provides grants to eligible surviving spouses to pay for housing, which directly helps these individuals with their living expenses.
-
Priority Based on Need: Under Section 2(c), the Secretary is required to give priority in making these grants to eligible surviving spouses based on need, ensuring that the people who need the help the most can be prioritized.
-
Dedicated Funding: Under Section 2(d), $250,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out the program, providing a steady financial backing to support veteran families.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Strict Eligibility Rules: Under Section 2(e)(3), the definition of an eligible surviving spouse is limited strictly to those who are the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran and who are in receipt of dependency and indemnity compensation, which excludes other surviving spouses who may also need housing help.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The legislation directly supports the families and surviving spouses of disabled veterans. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to give priority for housing grants based on financial need. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Older surviving spouses of disabled veterans may benefit from the housing grants provided by the program. Would women be better off under this? — Surviving spouses are disproportionately women, who will benefit from the housing grant program. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Middle-income surviving spouses who qualify may receive assistance with housing costs.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — The bill establishes a grant program specifically to help eligible surviving spouses of disabled veterans pay for housing. Is this likely to reduce homelessness? — Providing housing grants to eligible surviving spouses directly mitigates the risk of homelessness for these individuals. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Priority based on financial need helps lift vulnerable surviving spouses out of housing-related poverty.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill establishes a new housing grant program for eligible surviving spouses of disabled veterans.
- Healthcare
- Does this help veterans get medical care? — The bill provides housing financial assistance to certain surviving spouses of disabled veterans. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Though focused on housing, the bill supports the overall welfare of veteran families receiving dependency and indemnity compensation.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes $250,000,000 in appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to fund the housing grant program. Does this make the government pay for what it commits to? — The bill authorizes new spending without specifying corresponding revenue offsets.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and administer a new federal grant program.
- 11/11/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Introduced in House