An estimated 14.3 million Americans are currently providing care to wounded, ill, or injured service members and veterans, according to the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. These military and veteran family caregivers represent 5.5 percent of all U.S. adults, and advocates say Congress has yet to fully address the financial and health burdens they carry.
The Elizabeth Dole Foundation Caregiver Fellows are visiting Capitol Hill this week to lobby for three pieces of bipartisan legislation they argue would provide meaningful support. The effort builds on passage of the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act in January 2025, which advocates cite as proof that bipartisan cooperation on veteran caregiver issues remains possible.
What the Left Is Saying
Senate Democrats have aligned behind the legislative package, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, calling caregivers "the backbone of veterans' care." Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., is sponsoring the Veteran Caregiver Re-education, Re-employment, and Retirement Act in the House alongside Veterans' Affairs Chairman Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.
Progressive advocacy groups argue that the CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act addresses an inequity written into law. Currently, eligible children of permanently disabled veterans lose health coverage at age 23, while civilian children can remain on a parent's insurance plan until age 26 under the Affordable Care Act. Democrats contend this gap disproportionately affects families already facing financial strain.
"These caregivers are not asking for charity," wrote Bob McDonald, former U.S. secretary of Veterans Affairs and current chair of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation Board of Directors, in an opinion column published by The Hill. "They have answered every call. Now it is Washington's turn."
What the Right Is Saying
Senate Veterans' Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kan., has championed the Veteran Caregiver Re-education, Re-employment, and Retirement Act alongside Morelle, framing it as a practical solution to workforce barriers. The bill would require VA to provide employment transition assistance, reimburse relicensing fees for caregivers re-entering the job market, and extend Civilian Health and Medical Program coverage from 90 to 180 days when caregivers exit VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
Conservative supporters argue that strengthening caregiver stability ultimately benefits veterans. The Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act would increase Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for survivors and raise Special Monthly Compensation for catastrophically injured veterans. According to the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, more than 520,000 families would benefit from these changes.
"The case for passing it is ironclad," McDonald wrote in The Hill column co-authored with Elizabeth Dole Foundation CEO Steve Schwab. "What remains is the will on both sides of the aisle to find a path forward together."
What the Numbers Show
A 2024 RAND Corporation study commissioned by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation provides quantified scope of the caregiver burden. Military and veteran family caregivers provide an estimated minimum of $119 billion in unpaid care annually, labor that would otherwise fall to federal programs.
The economic toll on individual caregivers is substantial. According to the RAND study, caregivers lose more than $13,000 each year due to out-of-pocket expenses combined with forgone income from reduced employment. Thirty-five percent of caregiver households live below the federal poverty line. Among those caring for veterans under age 60, 43 percent meet clinical criteria for depression, and 70 percent report difficulty paying monthly bills.
The data underscores a gap between caregiving demands and available support: caregivers enrolled in VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers often set aside traditional employment entirely, sacrificing professional certifications, retirement contributions, and years of earning potential to provide round-the-clock care.
The Bottom Line
All three pieces of legislation have bipartisan sponsorship, but none has yet received a floor vote. The CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act would align veteran family health coverage with civilian standards under the ACA, a change advocates say has broad agreement but remains unaddressed.
The Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act would deliver increases to survivor benefits and compensation for catastrophically injured veterans. The Moran-Morelle bill targets the transition period when caregivers exit VA programs, providing bridges back to employment and continued health coverage.
Advocates argue these measures represent a rare opportunity for bipartisan action on an issue where both parties have expressed support. What remains is legislative scheduling and floor time in an already crowded congressional calendar. The Elizabeth Dole Foundation has indicated it will continue pushing for hearings and committee votes as the current congressional session progresses.