Senator Sullivan’s PRO Veterans Act of 2025 poised for President’s signature

A bill sponsored by Senator Dan Sullivan (R_AK) has passed the last hurdle before heading to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature, as his ‘PRO Veterans Act of 2025’ passed the House on July 22. The legislation passed the Senate earlier this month.

The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide quarterly budget briefings to Congress, which must include information on any budget shortfalls the VA may be experiencing. The VA must present its plans to address or mitigate shortfalls during such briefings.

The bill also prohibits the VA from providing specified pay incentives to senior level employees. Specifically, the VA may not provide such an incentive to an employee in a Senior Executive Service position or other comparable position at the central office of the VA (e.g., the Veterans Health Administration), regardless of the actual location where the employee performs the functions of the position.

However, the bill provides that an incentive may be provided to senior-level employees on an individual basis and upon approval by specified officers (e.g., the Under Secretary for Health). Additionally, senior-level employees whose positions are primarily at the central office of the VA but perform some portion of the job function at other VA facilities are exempt from the prohibition.

The VA must report to Congress annually regarding senior-level employees who were provided a critical skill incentive.

Senator Sullivan introduced the legislation after a budget debacle at the VA under the Biden administration that included a supposed multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall in mid-2024 followed by a multi-billion-dollar surplus two months later.

“The PRO Vets Act works to re-establish accountability at the VA by mandating quarterly, in-person budget reports to Congress and withholding bonuses for senior VA and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) personnel if there are future financial shortfalls,” Senator Sullivan posted to social media.

“As a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, I will continue working closely with the new VA Secretary, Doug Collins, who supports greater accountability, to hold the VA to the high standards the American people expect and to ensure our veterans are receiving the care and benefits they have earned.”

There was no immediate date available for when the President may sign the bill.