Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is blasting the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) after a proposal that would cut future benefits for disabled veterans.
Sen. Ossoff, who serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, is seeking answers from VA Secretary Doug Collins following a proposed rule that would have placed benefits for disabled veterans in Georgia and across the nation at risk.
On February 17, 2026, VA published an interim final rule that would have changed the way VA calculated disability benefits for disabled veterans, putting future benefits at risk. The rule would have linked disability benefits to how well veterans respond to medication and treatment — not based on their original injury, illness, or disease — potentially forcing veterans to choose between treatment or receiving their benefits.
The rule was then abruptly rescinded by VA following backlash, deepening confusion for Georgia veterans over the future of their benefits and hurting veterans’ trust in VA.
“The policy you proposed would force veterans to choose between their health and receiving the disability benefits that they have earned,” Sen. Ossoff wrote to VA Secretary Doug Collins. “You must explain to the nation’s veterans why you understand your proposal was wrong and how you now plan to proceed.”
Sen. Ossoff continues working to strengthen veterans’ access to the benefits they’ve earned.
In February, Sen. Ossoff requested answers about potential risks to patient health and safety as part of his office’s ongoing inquiry into staffing shortages and leadership deficiencies at the Charlie Norwood (VA) Medical Center in Augusta that are severely impacting veterans’ health care.
Also in February, Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry into the status of implementing the Veterans Child Care Assistance Program (VCAP) at Georgia’s VA Medical Centers, a program aimed at making it easier for Georgia veterans to access health care by reducing the difficulty of finding childcare during medical appointments.
In December, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan Helping Heroes Act to expand supportive services for families of disabled veterans, including children taking on caregiving roles for their parents.
Click here to read Sen. Ossoff’s full inquiry.
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