GOP Passes Bill Forcing Veterans to Pay for Higher Loans

Common Defense condemns vote to raise VA home loan costs ahead of Memorial Day weekend

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Common Defense, a national organization for veterans and military families condemns the GOP-led passage of the Sharri Briley Act, legislation that sharply increases fees within the VA Home Loan program. This legislation nearly triples the Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL) program to 1.4%  and costs the average veteran more than $8,000 over the life of the loan.

Common Defense supports expanding benefits for Gold Star families and severely disabled veterans, but Congress should not force one group of veterans to bear the cost of supporting another.

Naveed Shah, U.S. Army veteran and Political Director at Common Defense said: 

“Changing the rules of the VA Home Loan program to make refinancing more expensive for financially strained veterans does real harm to military families. At a time when the Pentagon is pushing for trillions in funding and Republicans canceled war power resolutions, House leadership still chose to rush this bill to the floor before Memorial Day, forcing veterans to shoulder a steep financial burden. Instead of honoring the fallen, House Republicans are using Gold Star Families as cover. Veterans should not be pitted against one another when Congress refuses to fund crucial benefits. Gold Star Families and veterans deserve better from their representatives.”

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Common Defense Civic Engagement (501c4) (CDCE) is a grassroots, veteran-led organization that was founded in 2016. We empower veterans to stand up for our communities against the rising tide of racism, hate, and violence, to organize against the entrenched powers that have rigged our economy, and to champion an equitable and representative democracy, where “liberty and justice” truly is for all. For too long, politicians from both political parties have attempted to use veterans as unwilling political props, and Common Defense serves as a home for veterans to organize and speak for themselves and support the candidates who truly share our values.