Elizabeth Dole Foundation backs House passage of veterans benefits expansion bill

By AI, Created 11:45 PM UTC, May 21, 2026, /AGP/ – The Elizabeth Dole Foundation praised House passage of the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act on May 21, 2026, saying the measure would increase support for catastrophically injured veterans and surviving spouses. The group is now pushing the Senate to act and send the bill to President Donald Trump.

Why it matters: - The bill would deliver more than $10,000 a year in added support to veterans with the most catastrophic service-connected disabilities. - The measure would also provide the first non-inflation increase to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for surviving spouses since 1993. - More than 500,000 surviving spouses could benefit from the change. - The legislation is described as a down payment on the larger increase needed for this population.

What happened: - The Elizabeth Dole Foundation applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act on May 21, 2026. - Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, said Congress answered the call and took a defining step toward honoring the full and permanent price of military service. - The foundation urged the U.S. Senate to act quickly and send the bill to the president’s desk.

The details: - The bill is named for Sharri Briley, a Gold Star widow whose husband, Army Chief Warrant Officer Donovan “Bull” Briley, was killed in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. - The bill also honors Eric Edmundson, a former Army sergeant who was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2005. - Edmundson has been nonverbal, wheelchair-bound and in need of round-the-clock care ever since. - Schwab said the stories of Briley and Edmundson reflect the burden carried by families like theirs for decades. - The Elizabeth Dole Foundation said its work focuses on the nation’s 14.3 million military and veteran caregivers.

Between the lines: - House passage gives the bill momentum, but Senate approval remains the key hurdle before any benefits reach families. - The foundation is framing the legislation as both a policy fix and a recognition of long-term caregiving and sacrifice. - The push for action underscores how slowly some veterans benefits have changed, especially for surviving spouses.

What’s next: - The Senate must take up the legislation. - If the Senate approves it, the bill would move to President Donald Trump for his signature. - The Elizabeth Dole Foundation says it will keep pressing for immediate action.

The bottom line: - The House vote is a meaningful step, but the real test is whether Congress finishes the job for catastrophically injured veterans and surviving spouses.