Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the Senate that directs the President to develop a national strategy every four years on how to best coordinate efforts among various stakeholders to support veteran well-being as a national interest.
The National Veterans Strategy Act of 2026 was introduced by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) - chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.
The legislation would also direct the federal government to develop standardized metrics to assess veteran outcomes to help identify gaps, strengthen outcomes and align veteran-related policies around shared, universal goals.
“The programs and benefits provided to our veterans can make a significant difference in a veteran’s success after service,” said Moran in a statement. “With so many entities already working to help veterans succeed – national, state, and local government, for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations – veterans and the organizations serving them benefit from a uniform strategy that identifies the best ways to help our nation’s veterans succeed.
The legislation would also require the President to regularly consult and coordinate with federal and non-federal entities to identify challenges, develop solutions and align resources and responses.
“This legislation would make certain there is a shared understanding of the purpose of veterans programs and clarify the outcomes they are intended to achieve,” added Moran. “Through a cohesive strategy, the programs, policies and legislation that affect veterans and their families would better align around those goals in a coordinated, nationwide effort and would strengthen support for the next generation of servicemembers.”
While the Department of Veterans Affairs is required to formulate a strategic plan once every four years, that plan is mainly focused on VA’s internal goals and operations. Moran and Blumenthal said their legislation would provide for better coordination of these resources in order to effect better outcomes for veterans and their families.
Blumenthal said making good on the nation's promises to its veterans requires a whole-of-government approach.
“While more than 1,300 federal, state, and local agencies work on veterans’ issues, there is no clear or comprehensive national strategy,” he continued. “Our first-of-its-kind legislation will require a national veterans strategy with clear metrics to measure if and how we are delivering for veterans and their families. Our aim is to increase transparency and accountability, and provide a clear roadmap for serving veterans.”
According to Morann and Blumenthal, the federal government spends more than $300 billion each year on veterans programs, including grants to states and to nonprofit organizations. That is in addition to billions of dollars from state budgets spent each year and billions of dollars in private and philanthropic funding of veteran-serving programs.
The legislation is supported by Combined Arms, Hire Heroes USA, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, The American Legion, AMVETS and The Syracuse University D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families.
Full text of the legislation can be found here.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.