Metro East Sun

President Trump has signed the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, also known as H.R. 1815, into law. The legislation was authored by Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) and supported by House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.). The new law aims to modernize the Department of Veterans Affairs' home loan program, which currently serves 3.7 million veterans.

The reform establishes a partial claim program at the VA, allowing veterans who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments to access federal assistance already available through other housing programs. Nearly 70,000 veteran homeowners are more than 90 days late on their mortgages. The bill is designed to help these individuals avoid foreclosure and keep their homes.

H.R. 1815 also ensures proper funding for the VA Grant and Per Diem program, part of broader efforts to prevent homelessness among veterans by supporting community agencies that provide services to those experiencing homelessness.

Chairman Bost stated, “Our veterans and their families should have every tool at their disposal to keep their homes and reduce the risk of foreclosure if they fall into financial hardship or endure a national disaster. Today, House Republicans and President Trump made that a reality for every veteran homeowner. Rep. Van Orden’s VA Home Loan Program Reform Act will modernize the VA Home Loan to meet veterans’ needs and reduce the risk of veteran homelessness. I’m proud that we fought hard to get this good bill to President Trump’s desk to keep our promise to those who have served.”

Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Chairman Van Orden added, “President Trump is the strongest support of veterans and servicemembers of any president in our nation’s history. This law helps fulfill a promise to those who protected us with their service and continue to do so today by providing a path to maintain homeownership. I am very proud of our legislation and thankful to President Trump for signing it into law.”

Several organizations expressed support for the new law, including Mortgage Bankers Association, Rocket Mortgage, National Association of Realtors (NAR), Freedom Mortgage, National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB), Lyft, Mission Roll Call, New England Center and Home for Veterans (NECHV), National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and The American Legion.

James LaCoursiere, National Commander of The American Legion said, “On behalf of The American Legion’s 1.5 million members, I extend our deepest gratitude to Chairman Bost, Ranking Member Takano, Congressman VanOrden, and the dedicated staff of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs for their steadfast leadership in advancing and securing the final passage of H.R. 1815, the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act. This critical legislation represents a profound commitment to safeguarding the financial security and dignity of veteran homeowners, especially during times of hardship. Your timely action ahead of the August recess reflects unwavering dedication to those who have borne the battle. We commend your continued advocacy on behalf of America’s veterans.”

Rocket Mortgage commented: “Those who have served our country deserve access to the same protections available to other homeowners, and the enactment of the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act of 2025 brings us closer to that reality. Now that the Act has been signed into law, the VA can develop a strong, effective solution that provides mortgage servicers with the tools they need to support servicemembers and veterans in today’s higher-rate environment. We appreciate the Committee’s dedication to seeing the bill across the finish line.”

Bob Broeksmit, President and CEO of Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said: “This important legislation is a critical step forward in ensuring that distressed veteran homeowners have access to a proven and sustainable loss mitigation solution.”

Kristina Keenan from Veterans of Foreign Wars stated: “The VFW is pleased that H.R. 1815, VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, has passed into law. Introduced by VFW member and House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Chairman Derrick Van Orden, this law will prevent thousands of veterans from foreclosing on their homes by providing a partial claim option where VA can cover delinquent payments and work with lenders to structure appropriate repayments. Additionally, it will strengthen VA’s homelessness prevention efforts through the Grant and Per Diem Program. The VFW thanks Congress and the White House for quickly passing this legislation to help veterans stay in their homes.”

Stanley C. Middleman from Freedom Mortgage said: “The passing of H.R.1815 is critical to giving the Department of Veterans Affairs the ability for Freedom Mortgage to further assist thousands of struggling VA borrowers in finding the best solution to stay in their homes, in line with other federally supported programs. We truly appreciate the bipartisan effort and stakeholder collaboration from Chairs Bost and Moran, as well as Ranking Members Takano and Blumenthal, to pass this bill and further strengthen their support of Veterans and those in active military service.”

Mike Bost has won several recent general elections representing Illinois's 12th congressional district: In 2022 he defeated Chip Markel with 75% percent of votes; in 2020 he defeated Raymond Lenzi with over 60%; in both 2018 against Brendan Kelly (51%) and in earlier years against Charles Baricevic (2016) and William L Enyart (2014), he maintained majority victories.