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HR 7112

Veterans’ Bill of Rights Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Ken Calvert and 3 co-sponsors

Establishes a formal Veterans’ Bill of Rights to inform and protect veterans' access to VA care, benefits, privacy, grievance redress, and transparent communications.

Introduced in House
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HR 7112

Summary: Veterans’ Bill of Rights Act of 2026 (H.R. 7112, 119th Congress)

Purpose and Intent

  • Establishes a formal framework to inform U.S. veterans about their rights regarding health care, benefits, and services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and related programs.
  • Codifies a concise set of veterans’ rights and requires the VA to integrate and publicize them to ensure accountability, transparency, and consistent nationwide administration of benefits and services.

Key Provisions

1) Creation of the Veterans’ Bill of Rights (Section 3)

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must carry out efforts to inform veterans of their rights, covering:
- Access to VA or VA-authorized providers
- Respect and dignity in all interactions
- Informed consent for treatments
- Awareness of benefits (information about programs veterans may be eligible for)
- Access to benefits (ability to apply and receive clear eligibility explanations)
- Health care without retaliation (protections against stigma or retaliation for seeking care or raising concerns)
- Privacy (protection of personal information and medical records)
- Right to grievance redress (filing complaints and obtaining timely investigations/resolutions)
- Transparent communication (clear written status updates on claims, benefits, and appeals)
- Appeal and fair hearings (ability to appeal adverse decisions and receive fair hearings in a timely manner)

2) Department Responsibilities (Section 3(c))

The Secretary must:
- Integrate these rights into VA policies, directives, patient-facing materials, and employee training
- Ensure annual training for every VA employee on these rights
- Prominently display the rights at VA facilities and on the VA website
- Coordinate with the Secretaries of Defense and Labor to include a dedicated instruction module on these rights in the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) curriculum (per 10 U.S.C. § 1144)
- By no later than 180 days after enactment, ensure the rights are accessible via a prominent feature in the VA’s official mobile app and the eBenefits portal (or successor portal)
- Designate a patient advocate or ombudsman at each VA medical facility to conduct an annual internal audit assessing facility compliance, veteran satisfaction, and grievance resolution timeliness
- Require that acknowledgments of benefit claims or health care service applications include a summary of the rights, highlighting transparent communication and grievance redress

3) Limitations and Clarifications (Section 3(d))

  • The bill does not create new damages or judicially enforceable rights beyond what Federal law already provides.
  • It does not alter statutory eligibility requirements for care or benefits under VA-administered laws.

Who is Affected

  • U.S. veterans eligible for VA health care and benefits
  • VA facilities, staff, and contractors
  • VA information systems (VA website, mobile app, eBenefits portal)
  • Other federal agencies involved in veteran transition (through TAP coordination with Defense and Labor Secretaries)
  • Veterans seeking grievance redress or appeals

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Initial implementation targets:
    • Within 180 days of enactment: Rights must be accessible via a dedicated feature in the VA mobile app and eBenefits portal
    • Ongoing: Annual VA employee training on the rights
    • Ongoing: Annual facility-level audits by patient advocates/ombudsmen
  • Status communications: Written or electronic claim/benefit acknowledgments must include a rights summary

Practical Implications

  • Aims to standardize veterans’ rights nationwide and improve transparency in VA processes
  • Enhances veteran awareness about eligibility, consent, privacy, grievance mechanisms, and timely communications
  • Introduces oversight through annual internal audits at VA facilities to monitor adherence

Legislative Status

  • Introduced January 15, 2026
  • Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services
  • Sponsors include Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (and co-sponsors Zach Nunn, Wesley Hunt, Ken Calvert)

If you’d like, I can add a brief comparison to current VA policy or map each right to existing federal protections for further clarity.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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