Marilyn Strickland (D-WA)
Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act of 2025
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Became Public Law No: 119-54.
Became law
Passed both chambers and was signed by the President, or became law without a signature.
Nothing more in Congress: it is law. When it takes effect depends on the dates written into it — some parts start at once, others a year or more later.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House voice vote
- Passed Senate unanimous consent
- To President
- Became Law
No one's position on it was recorded: the House by voice vote (members called out yes or no together), and the Senate by unanimous consent (no one objected, so there was no vote).
What this bill would do
This Act, known as the "Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act of 2025," amends title 38 of the United States Code. It requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a periodic review of the automatic maximum coverage amounts. This review must take place on January 1, 2026, and every five years afterward. The Secretary must compare the current coverage amount to a specific amount adjusted by the Consumer Price Index. Finally, the results of these reviews must be submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs.
Yes
- Scored +5
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
The act ensures that life insurance coverage amounts are regularly evaluated against inflation to better serve veterans and their families.
- Scored +5
Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive?
The bill mandates periodic reviews of insurance coverage amounts against inflation to ensure coverage remains adequate for servicemembers and veterans.
- Scored +3
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit review results to Congressional committees, increasing oversight.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Regular Coverage Reviews: The Secretary is required to complete a review of the automatic maximum coverage amount every five years (Section 2(a)(1)). This ensures the coverage amounts are evaluated against a specific benchmark.
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Inflation-Adjusted Benchmarks: The review uses a calculation involving $500,000 multiplied by the average percentage change in the Consumer Price Index over the preceding five fiscal years (Section 2(b)). This process can serve as a guide for coverage increases (Section 2(a)(2)).
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Legislative Oversight: The results of these reviews must be submitted to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of both the House of Representatives and the Senate (Section 2(a)(2)). This provides transparency to congressional leaders regarding the insurance coverage levels.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
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 act ensures that life insurance coverage amounts are regularly evaluated against inflation to better serve veterans and their families.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill mandates periodic reviews of insurance coverage amounts against inflation to ensure coverage remains adequate for servicemembers and veterans.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit review results to Congressional committees, increasing oversight.
- Public Law (12/13/2025)
The text as it became law
- Enrolled Bill
The final version, on its way to the President
- 12/12/2025
- Signed by President.
- Became Public Law No: 119-54.
- 12/3/2025
- Presented to President.
- 11/20/2025
- Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8399-8400)
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- 4/21/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/8/2025
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 4/7/2025
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1440)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1440)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 970.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1439-1441)
- Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 3/6/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
- 2/4/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Raul RuizDemocrat · California
Keith SelfRepublican · Texas