House Passes Amata-Backed Briley/Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Bill
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (HVAC), is hailing House passage of the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, H.R. 6047. Vice Chairman Amata is an original cosponsor of this bipartisan bill, one of the 12 Members working together at introduction in December, followed by Committee passage in February. The bill must also be passed by the U.S. Senate to be signed into law.
Vice Chairman Amata discussing Veterans' issues in 2025 with VA Secretary Collins, HVAC Chairman Bost and other key Members
This legislation would increase the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) monthly compensation benefit for service-connected, catastrophically disabled veterans as well as the surviving family of 100% disabled or deceased veterans. This tax-free benefit, support for the loved ones for the loss of their disabled veteran, has not been increased in decades.
“This bill affects hundreds of thousands of our veterans’ families, including many of those most in need or who sacrificed the most,” said Vice Chairman Amata. “It is important in recognizing these veterans’ sacrifice, thanking Gold Star families, and showing honor to all who served.”
The House-passed bill would make two key changes. It increases VA’s Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefit, which currently provides $1,650 per month, by an additional 1 percent each year on top of inflation for the next five years — helping over 500,000 veterans’ families with their living expenses.
Secondly, the bill would also significantly raise the monthly benefits rate for catastrophically service-connected disabled veterans with a traumatic brain injury or other severe disabilities that require regular, round the clock, in-home medical care, offering an additional $10,000 annually to over 7,000 veterans requiring in-home care. This is the first significant increase for this cohort of veterans in decades, despite their great sacrifice.
H.R. 6047 is supported by the two people for whom it is named: Sharri Briley, the surviving spouse of Army veteran CW3 Donovan ‘Bull’ Briley; and catastrophically disabled Army veteran, Sergeant Eric Edmundson.
Sharri Briley is the surviving spouse of CWO3 Donovan Lee ‘Bull’ Briley, an Army Special Operations Blackhawk helicopter pilot who tragically lost his life in Mogadishu, Somalia during Operation Gothic Serpent (commonly known as the Black Hawk Down incident) in 1993.
Army veteran Sergeant Eric Edmundson’s Humvee was hit by an IED on October 2, 2005, in Iraq. He sustained lifechanging injuries, including an anoxic brain injury, which changed the course of his life by ending his ability to speak or walk. Despite these challenges, Eric continues to lead a full life through enhanced medical technology and therapy.
H.R. 6047 has widespread support from numerous veteran service organizations (VSOs) including the American Legion, Wounded Warrior Project, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Gold Star Spouses of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart USA, Independence Fund, National Military Family Association, Gold Star Wives, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, Quality of Life Foundation, and Veterans MS Alliance.
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