House Veterans Affairs Committee Reviews 27 Bills to Modernize VA Programs

• Rep. Van Taylor's bill mandating deportation of illegal immigrants convicted of fraud passed the House of Representatives on March 19, 2026. • The legislation targets non-citizens involved in fraudulent activities, aiming to strengthen immigration enforcement. • Passage reflects ongoing Republican priorities on border security and public safety amid rising immigration debates.

• The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform advanced nine bills on March 19, 2026, to safeguard American taxpayers and ensure efficient use of federal funds. • Key measures include H.R. 7934 requiring agencies to publish settlement agreements online, doubling whistleblower cash awards to $20,000, and mandating Treasury reports on fiscal risks from crises amid $38 trillion debt. • Legislation reforms FFATA for accurate USAspending.gov data and recognizes special districts for federal aid, addressing unreported funds including national security spending.

• Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) criticized the Republican SAVE Act on March 18, 2026, as 'one of the most extreme voter suppression bills in recent history.' • The bill mandates in-person proof of citizenship like passports, which 140 million Americans lack, banning online, mail, and automatic registration. • It would disenfranchise rural voters, veterans, and women changing names, despite existing laws prohibiting noncitizen voting under penalty of perjury.

• The American Library Association condemned H.R. 7661's passage by the House Education and Workforce Committee on March 17, 2026, calling it a 'dangerous' censorship bill. • The vague language risks defunding schools for materials deemed 'sexually oriented,' including art, history, and Virginia's state flag, treating 17-year-olds like kindergartners. • ALA urges opposition, highlighting threats to LGBTQIA+ stories and civil rights, and supports the Right to Read Act for library funding.

• Congress introduced a bipartisan bill on March 19, 2026, to establish guidelines scrutinizing AI use in U.S. federal courts amid growing Capitol Hill concerns. • Clear federal AI standards for judiciary remain absent; the measure addresses broader technology risks in government operations. • Related updates include Senate panel vote on DHS Secretary nominee Markwayne Mullin and Sen. Bernie Sanders forcing votes on $658 million Israel arms sales.

• Political operatives tied to Trump, including those from Safe America Media and People Who Think, secured DHS contracts for a $220 million public awareness ad campaign launched amid urgent needs. • The March 3 DHS memo justified limited competition with 10-12% commissions below the 15% industry norm, marking it as the most expensive U.S. government marketing effort in the past decade outside military and COVID campaigns. • The campaign featured Gov. Kristi Noem in a cowboy hat at Mount Rushmore, sparking White House friction and perceptions of her positioning for a future political run without Trump's direct approval.

• President Trump confronts a pivotal Iran war decision on deploying U.S. troops to seize Tehran's enriched uranium, deemed essential by nuclear experts but politically risky amid vows against prolonged Middle East conflicts. • Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) warned that securing uranium requires a physical U.S. presence, criticizing Trump's 'confused and chaotic objectives,' while Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) noted no briefing exists on alternatives to boots on the ground. • Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) cited multiple plans on the table without details, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized available options without specifics; Trump claimed strikes neutralized the nuclear threat.

• The US national debt exceeded $39 trillion on Wednesday, a record milestone reached just weeks into the US-Israeli war in Iran, driven by competing priorities including tax cuts, defense spending, and immigration enforcement. • White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett estimated the Iran war has cost more than $12 billion so far, with the federal debt having grown from $37 trillion two months ago to $38 trillion five months ago, now reaching $39 trillion. • The Government Accountability Office warns rising debt increases borrowing costs for mortgages and cars, reduces business investment and wages, and makes goods and services more expensive for Americans.

• The Varieties of Democracy Institute at Sweden's Gothenburg University found that Trump's second term is characterized by swift concentration of executive power, suppression of dissent, and targeting of civil rights at a rate comparable to some coups d'état. • The Trump administration is flouting Congress and the judiciary, attacking courts while the Department of Homeland Security openly violates dozens of judicial orders, and has unilaterally reallocated federal funding including a $10 billion gift to the "Board of Peace" without congressional approval. • Republican-controlled Congress has "abdicated its constitutional role" by ceding legislative, fiscal, and oversight powers to the executive branch during 2025, while the administration undoes civil rights achievements and suppresses left-wing dissent.

• Intelligence officials testified before Congress on March 18 regarding Iran war threats and national security, with National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard deflecting questions about pre-war intelligence she offered Trump, while facing Democratic accusations of misusing national security powers for domestic political interference. • FBI Director Kash Patel made his first Capitol Hill appearance since a viral video showed him celebrating with the U.S. men's hockey team at the Winter Olympics; Patel has fired dozens of FBI agents in his first year, raising concerns about loss of national security expertise during elevated terrorism threats. • Multiple terrorism-related incidents occurred this month, including a gunman inspired by Iranian ideology killing two at a Texas bar, suspects arrested for explosives near New York City, a shooting at Old Dominion University in Virginia, and a car attack on a Michigan synagogue.

• The State Department announced on March 18 that effective April 2, 2026, citizens from 12 additional countries—Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia—must post bonds of up to $15,000 when applying for U.S. visas. • After April 2, the total number of countries subject to the visa bond requirement will expand to 50, primarily targeting nations with high overstay rates, particularly in Africa; visa applicants must post bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on their circumstances and consular officer discretion. • The Trump administration program, rolled out last year to combat visa overstays and illegal migration, has demonstrated effectiveness, with the State Department reporting that nearly 97% of almost 1,000 bond-posting applicants have not overstayed their visas.