Press Releases

 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11) announced that the Streamline Upgrades for Veterans Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Congressman James C. Moylan (GU-00), advanced through the House Armed Services Committee as part of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The Committee’s passage marks a major step forward for Walkinshaw’s bipartisan legislation, which now heads to the House floor to be considered as part of the annual defense package.

“Veterans carrying the invisible wounds of service deserve a system that works for them, not one that leaves them waiting years for answers,” said Congressman Walkinshaw. “This is a major step toward ensuring veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma (MST), or traumatic brain injury (TBI) receive timely, fair consideration when seeking a review of their discharge status. I’m grateful to see this legislation advance through the House Armed Services Committee and will keep fighting to get it across the finish line.”

The Streamline Upgrades for Veterans Act would help ensure veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma receive timely consideration when seeking relief related to their military discharge status. For many veterans, a discharge upgrade can be key to accessing VA health care, housing assistance, education benefits, and other earned benefits in a timely manner.

The legislation would prevent reductions in staffing at military service review agencies through December 31, 2030, and require the Department of Defense to report to Congress on review timelines for cases involving veterans seeking to appeal their discharge for cases designated “liberal consideration” which includes PTSD, MST, or TBI. It would also require a public summary of that report to be posted online by both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Read the bill text here.

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