Fisher House Availability Act of 2026
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Would expand eligibility for no-cost temporary lodging at Fisher Houses — VA-affiliated housing facilities near military medical centers — to active-duty service members and their families, as well as to veterans and service members whose family members need to travel for care.
The bill would also extend, by six months, an existing cap on pension payments for hospitalized or institutionalized veterans, a routine provision that prevents a lapse in current rules.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would amend federal law governing VA temporary lodging (Fisher Houses) to allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide free, space-available lodging to four additional categories of people. First, active-duty service members ("covered beneficiaries") who must travel a significant distance to receive care at a VA or non-VA facility. Second, family members and others accompanying such service members and providing familial support. Third, veterans, their family members, and others who must travel a significant distance for a veteran's family member to receive care. Fourth, active-duty service members, their family members, and others who must travel a significant distance for the service member's family member to receive care.
It would also direct the VA to establish access criteria for these new space-available categories, and would extend the existing limit on pension payment amounts for certain hospitalized or institutionalized veterans from January 31, 2033, to July 31, 2033.
Key provisions
- 1Would authorize space-available Fisher House lodging for active-duty service members traveling a significant distance for care at a VA or non-VA facility.
- 2Would authorize space-available lodging for family members and others accompanying an active-duty service member receiving care and providing familial support.
- 3Would authorize space-available lodging for veterans and their family members who must travel a significant distance for a family member to receive care.
- 4Would authorize space-available lodging for active-duty service members and their family members traveling for a family member's care at a VA or non-VA facility.
- 5Would require the VA Secretary to establish criteria for granting access under the new space-available lodging categories.
- 6Would extend the pension payment limit for hospitalized or institutionalized veterans from January 31, 2033, to July 31, 2033.
Who would be affected
Active-duty service members who receive care at VA or non-VA facilities and their accompanying family members; veterans and service members whose family members must travel for medical care; and veterans who are hospitalized or institutionalized and currently subject to pension payment limits. The Zachary and Elizabeth M. Fisher Armed Services Foundation and the Fisher House Foundation, Inc., which construct and donate the facilities, are implicitly involved.
Why it matters
Currently, Fisher House lodging is primarily available to veterans and their families undergoing treatment. If enacted, active-duty service members and family caregivers traveling for their own care or a relative's care would gain access to the same free, nearby lodging — reducing out-of-pocket costs for families facing long-distance medical travel. The pension extension prevents a technical lapse that could otherwise affect benefit amounts for hospitalized veterans.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends 38 U.S.C. § 1708 (Sec. 2)
Adds four new eligibility categories for space-available Fisher House lodging, covering active-duty service members, their families, and veterans' families traveling for care.
Amends 38 U.S.C. § 5503(d)(7) (Sec. 3)
Extends the expiration of pension payment limits for hospitalized or institutionalized veterans by six months, to July 31, 2033.
Agencies directed to act
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates H.R. 3726 would decrease the federal deficit by $4 million over the 2026–2036 period, with a small net reduction in direct spending and about $4 million in additional discretionary spending subject to appropriation.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3726 would reduce net direct spending by $4 million over the 2026–2036 period, with no effect on revenues. The bill's two main budgetary effects largely offset each other: expanding eligibility for VA Fisher House temporary lodging would increase direct spending by $2 million (and require about $4 million more in discretionary appropriations), while extending through July 31, 2033 the existing reduction of VA pension payments for veterans in Medicaid nursing homes would reduce net direct spending by $6 million. CBO found the bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
How implementation would work
The VA Secretary would be required to establish criteria governing who qualifies for space-available lodging under the four new eligibility categories. Because lodging is granted on a space-available basis, no new construction or guaranteed bed allotment is mandated — access depends on facility capacity. The pension-limit extension is self-executing, requiring only that administrators substitute the new date. No rulemaking deadline is specified for the eligibility criteria, but the amendment takes effect upon enactment.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Official CRS summary
Show the CRS summaryHide the CRS summary
This bill expands eligibility for temporary lodging at a Fisher House to additional individuals receiving medical care or treatment at a Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) or non-VA facility or those accompanying individuals receiving such treatment. (Fisher Houses are where the VA furnishes no-cost lodging to veterans and other eligible individuals when receiving treatment or accompanying an individual receiving treatment.)
Specifically, the bill authorizes the VA to provide lodging at a Fisher House on a space-available basis to
- members of the uniformed services performing active duty (i.e., covered beneficiaries) who must travel a significant distance to receive care or services;
- family members and others accompanying such covered beneficiaries to receive care or services;
- veterans, members of a veteran's family, and others who must travel a significant distance for a member of a veteran's family to receive care or services; and
- covered beneficiaries, members of a covered beneficiary’s family, and others who must travel a significant distance for a member of a beneficiary’s family to receive care or services.
Finally, the bill extends the limitation on pension amounts for certain hospitalized or institutionalized veterans through July 31, 2033.
Legislative subjects
Armed Forces and National Security; Military medicine; Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs; Veterans' medical care
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-630