HR 695119th CongressBecame Law

Medal of Honor Act

Introduced: Jan 23, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22] (R-Texas)

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

H.R. 695, the Medal of Honor Act, would largely modernize and increase the monthly “special pension” paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs to living Medal of Honor recipients. It ties the MOH special pension to the VA’s own veteran pension rates for a veteran with no dependents, with an adjustment to the next higher rate, rather than keeping a fixed amount. The bill also adds a rule to prevent multiple increases within the same year and extends the date by which certain pension payment limits apply, moving the sunset from November 30, 2031 to January 31, 2033. In short, the bill aims to provide higher, more systematically calibrated benefits for MOH recipients while extending related payment provisions.

Key Points

1Replaces the fixed MOH special pension rate (previously $1,406.73) with a rate equal to the VA monthly pension for a veteran with no dependents under 1114(m), increased to the next intermediate rate under 1114(p).
2Adds a provision preventing the Secretary from increasing the MOH special pension in a given year if it has already been increased earlier in that same year.
3Extends the deadline for certain pension payment limits from November 30, 2031 to January 31, 2033.
4Includes standard “Findings” acknowledging the Medal of Honor’s prestige and the deserving nature of MOH recipients, which helps justify the bill’s purpose.
5Designates the bill with the short title “Medal of Honor Act.”

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Living Medal of Honor recipients who receive the MOH special pension; they would see a higher, VA-rate-based monthly payment rather than a fixed amount.Secondary group/area affected: The Department of Veterans Affairs and the broader federal budget, due to the linkage to VA pension scales and the extended payment-limit timeline.Additional impacts: Potentially more predictable and automatic alignment of MOH pension growth with other VA pension increases (e.g., annual COLAs), and a tighter control on year-to-year fluctuations for MOH payments. The changes are fiscal and administrative in nature, with no new eligibility criteria beyond what already exists for MOH recipients.

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