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H.R. 3726 · House bill · 119th Congress
This bill expands eligibility for temporary lodging at a Fisher House to additional individuals receiving medical care or treatment at a Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) or non-VA facility or those accompanying individuals receiving such treatment. (Fisher Houses are where the VA furnishes no-cost lodging to veterans and other eligible individuals when receiving treatment or accompanying an individual receiving treatment.)
Specifically, the bill authorizes the VA to provide lodging at a Fisher House on a space-available basis to
members of the uniformed services performing active duty (i.e., covered beneficiaries) who must travel a significant distance to receive care or services;
family members and others accompanying such covered beneficiaries to receive care or services;
veterans, members of a veteran's family, and others who must travel a significant distance for a member of a veteran's family to receive care or services; and
covered beneficiaries, members of a covered beneficiary’s family, and others who must travel a significant distance for a member of a beneficiary’s family to receive care or services.
Finally, the bill extends the limitation on pension amounts for certain hospitalized or institutionalized veterans through July 31, 2033.
This Act may be cited as the “Fisher House Availability Act of 2026”.
Section 1708 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by striking “in connection with” and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting “in accordance with this section.”;
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (2)—
(i) by inserting “described in paragraph (1)” after “family of a veteran”; and
(ii) by inserting “such” after “accompany”; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
“(3) On a space-available basis, a covered beneficiary who must travel a significant distance to receive care or services at a Department or non-Department facility.
(4) On a space-available basis, a member of the family of a covered beneficiary described in paragraph (3) and others who accompany such a covered beneficiary who is receiving care or services and provide the equivalent of familial support for such beneficiary when the covered beneficiary or the family member is traveling to receive care or services at a Department or non-Department facility.
(5) On a space-available basis, a veteran and a member of the family of a veteran and others who must travel a significant distance for a member of the veteran’s family to receive care or services at a Department or non-Department facility.
(6) On a space available basis, a covered beneficiary and a member of the family of a covered beneficiary and others who must travel a significant distance for a member of the covered beneficiary’s family to receive care or services at a Department or non-Department facility.”;
(3) by striking subsection (c) and redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively;
(4) in subsection (d), as so redesignated—
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking “subsection (d)” and inserting “subsection (c)”;
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking “under subsection (b)(2)” and inserting “or a covered beneficiary under subsection (b)”;
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking “and” after the semicolon;
(D) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and
(E) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph (5):
“(5) establishing criteria for providing access to temporary lodging facilities on a space-available basis under paragraphs (3) through (6) of subsection (b); and”; and
(5) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(e) In this section:
(1) The term “covered beneficiary” means a member of the uniformed services performing active duty.
(2) The term “Fisher house” means a housing facility that—
(A) is located at, or in proximity to, a Department medical facility;
(B) is available for residential use on a temporary basis by patients of that facility and others described in subsection (b); and
(C) is constructed by, and donated to the Secretary by, the Zachary and Elizabeth M. Fisher Armed Services Foundation or the Fisher House Foundation, Inc.”.
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “January 31, 2033” and inserting “July 31, 2033”.