Fisher House Availability Act of 2026

Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Republican · IA · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Debbie Dingell (D-MI-6)Original· 2025-06-04
• Eugene Simon Vindman (D-VA-7)· 2025-09-11
• Joe Neguse (D-CO-2)· 2025-10-03

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

2026-05-20

Source: Congress.gov

Fisher House Availability Act of 2026 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.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 3726 Reported in House (RH)] <DOC> Union Calendar No. 546 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 3726 [Report No. 119-630] To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make temporary lodging facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs available for certain TRICARE beneficiaries on a space-available basis, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 4, 2025 Mrs. Miller-Meeks (for herself and Mrs. Dingell) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs April 30, 2026 Additional sponsors: Mr. Vindman and Mr. Neguse April 30, 2026 Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 4, 2025] _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make temporary lodging facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs available for certain TRICARE beneficiaries on a space-available basis, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Fisher House Availability Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TEMPORARY LODGING TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. 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.''. SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION. Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``January 31, 2033'' and inserting ``July 31, 2033''. Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make temporary lodging facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs available for certain individuals on a space available basis, and for other purposes.''. Union Calendar No. 546 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 3726 [Report No. 119-630] _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make temporary lodging facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs available for certain TRICARE beneficiaries on a space-available basis, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ April 30, 2026 Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

• HR9390Prices on the Wall Act of 2026
  Referred to Committee · 2026-06-23
• HRES1332Supporting the designation of February 1, as "Blue Star Mother's Day".
  Referred to Committee · 2026-06-02
• HR9033Timely Agreements Act
  Referred to Committee · 2026-05-26
• HR2145Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2025
  Reported by Committee · 2026-05-21