Metro East Sun

House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.), House Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill (R-Ark.), Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), and Subcommittee on Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs Chairman Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas) have introduced H.R. 6047, known as the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act. The proposed legislation aims to increase monthly compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for service-connected, catastrophically disabled veterans and the surviving families of veterans who were 100% disabled or deceased.

The bill is named after Sharri Briley, the widow of Army Special Operations Blackhawk helicopter pilot CWO3 Donovan Lee ‘Bull’ Briley, who died in Somalia during Operation Gothic Serpent in 1993, and Sergeant Eric Edmundson, an Army veteran severely injured by an IED in Iraq in 2005.

Under current law, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) provides $1,650 per month to eligible survivors. H.R. 6047 proposes increasing DIC by an additional 1% each year above inflation for five years, which would affect over 500,000 families. The bill also seeks to raise monthly benefits for catastrophically disabled veterans with traumatic brain injuries or other severe disabilities requiring constant care by $10,000 annually—the first significant increase for this group in decades.

Chairman Bost stated: “Veteran families like the Briley’s and the Edmundson’s – and the thousands more like them – who have given so much in exchange for their service in uniform have not seen a meaningful increase to their benefits in over 20 years. It’s time we changed that to grant this deserving group of American heroes the affordability they need to comfortably live their lives,” said Chairman Bost. “TheSharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, led by my friend, Rep. Barrett, would provide a needed increase in the benefits disabled veterans, veterans’ survivors, and their families rely on to cover therapy costs, pay the bills, and make ends meet. This bill would answer the call to try and repay the debt we owe in exchange for the sacrifices thousands of military families have made. I look forward to moving this bill through the House swiftly on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of members of our veteran community who would benefit from it.”

Rep. Barrett added: “We can never repay the debt we owe to the men and women who sacrificed life and limb to defend our country, but that should never stop us from trying. This bill is about following through on our promises and making one of the most significant increases to benefits in more than two decades,”said Rep. Barrett.“Our disabled veterans and Gold Star families have already given more for our country than anyone should ever have to. We have an obligation to take care of them and to make sure survivors like Sharri Briley and veterans like Sgt. Eric Edmundson never again have to worry about their country showing up when they need it most.”

House Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill remarked: “I am proud to join this effort on behalf of families who have endured hardships in service to our nation that most of us will never know,” said House Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill.“Donovan ‘Bull’ Briley’s name is well known in Arkansas, and the decision to name this bill, in part, for his wife, Sharri, is a fitting and heartfelt tribute to his memory and to her tireless advocacy on behalf of surviving spouses. Families like the Brileys and the Edmundsons show remarkable strength in the face of loss and catastrophic injury, and they deserve meaningful support. This bill takes an important step toward meeting that obligation.”

Rep. Hudson commented: “This bill delivers long-overdue, commonsense increases for catastrophically injured heroes, surviving spouses, and families who have gone decades without meaningful updates,”said Rep. Hudson.“Military and veteran families have sacrificed more than most Americans will ever know, and they should never have to worry about receiving the support they deserve.I’m proud to support this measure and help deliver real stability, real support,andthebenefitsourveteransandtheirlovedoneshaveearned.”

Subcommittee Chairman Luttrell stated: “For over two decades,fartoomanyveteranfamilieshavebeenleftbehindtofaceeconomicperildue toalackofanincreaseinVAbenefits.It’sourdutytosupporttheseheroesandtheirlovedonesandensuretheyreceivetheassistancethey’ve rightfully earned,”said SubcommitteeonDisabilityAssistance&MemorialAffairsChairmanLuttrell.“AsChairmanoftheSubcommitteeonDisabilityAssistanceandMemorialAffairs,IamthankfulforRep.TomBarrett’seffortsstandingupforourveteransandtheirfamilieswiththisimportantlegislation.”

Sharri Briley expressed her perspective: "This bill is more than legislation to me; it is a promise kept," said Sharri Briley,survivingspouseofCW3Donovan‘Bull’Briley."For thirty-two years,Ihavelivedwiththelossofmyhusband ,Donovan,andIhaveseenfirsthandhowsurvivingfamiliescontinuetobearcostofwar.TheSharriBrileyandEricEdmundsonVeteransBenefitsExpansionActhonorsthatsacrificebyprovidingreal,tangiblesupporttosurvivorsandcatastrophicallydisabledveterans.Itshowsthatournationhearsus,seesus ,valuesus,andwillstandbyusjustasourlovedonesstoodfortheircountry."

Edgar Edmundson also shared his thoughts: “This Act is recognition oftheveteransandfamilieswhowakeup eachmorningadjustingtothe long-termconsequencesofservice,”saidEdgarEdmundson,fatherofSgt(Ret)EricEdmundson.“TheincreaseinbenefitsprovidedbytheSharriBrileyandEricEdmundsonVeteransBenefitsExpansionActarenotoptional—theyareessential.Ourveterans’needsevolveastheyage,andoursupportmustevolvewiththem.Thislegislationensuresthatinjuredveteransandsurvivingfamiliesarenotleftstrugglingtomeetchangingrealitiesalone.”

A number of major veteran service organizations are backing H.R. 6047 including The American Legion,Wounded Warrior Project(WWP),Paralyzed VeteransofAmerica(PVA),VietnamVeteransofAmerica(VVA),AMVETS,theElizabethDoleFoundation,theGoldStarSpousesofAmerica,theMilitaryOrderofthePurpleHeartUSA,theIndependenceFund,theNationalMilitaryFamilyAssociation(NMFA),GoldStarWives,theNationalAssociationofCountyVeteransServiceOfficers(NACVSO),QualityofLifeFoundation,andVeteransMSAlliance.

Representatives from these organizations issued statements supporting various aspects of H.R .6047,such as increased compensation rates formilitarysurvivors,veteran caregivers,and those with catastrophic injuries.Many groups notedthatthiswouldbethefirstsignificantupdateindecadesforsomebenefitprograms.SeveralorganizationsalsovoicedconcernsaboutproposedfundingmechanismsbutexpressedcommitmenttoworkingwithCongresstoimprovethebillthroughoutthelegislativeprocess.

If enacted,H.R .6047would bring changes designedtoaddresslongstandingdisparitiesinsupportforsurvivorsofdeceasedordisabledservicemembersandincreasefinancialassistanceformilitaryfamilieswhohaveenduredseriouslossesorinjuries.