Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Derek Tran (CA-45) and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced legislation to protect Veterans' disability benefits following the Trump Administration's attempt to reduce benefits for Veterans relying on medication to manage their service-connected disabilities.

View the full bill text HERE.

In February, the VA published an interim final rule to change the evaluation process for Veterans' disability ratings, making it more difficult for disabled Veterans to access health care. The rule directed the VA to reduce compensation for Veterans whose disabilities are improved by, but reliant on, ongoing treatment. Representative Tran joined over 60 House colleaguesin a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins decrying the rule; at the urging of House Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano, Representative Tran, and their colleagues, the VA quickly reversed course.

The Carlton H. Ingram Veterans' Benefits Protection Act would thwart future attempts to implement a similar policy by requiring the VA to discount the beneficial effects of medication when Veterans are evaluated for their disability rating. This legislation would ensure that Veterans who use medications to manage their disabilities can access the health care they've earned without the fear of losing their full benefits.

"Veterans put their lives on the line for our freedom; they should never have to choose between staying healthy and receiving their full benefits. The Trump Administration's decision to cut Veterans' benefits disrespected the service members and Veterans who have made the highest commitment to this country. I'm proud to introduce this bill to protect Veterans' health care and ensure that no President can attempt these reckless cuts ever again," said Representative Tran.

"Veterans should never have to choose between taking life-improving medication or losing their earned benefits. Our legislation ensures that a veteran's disability rating is strictly based on that veteran's underlying condition. The Trump Administration's recent attempt to slash disability benefits for veterans was cruel and dangerous, and our bill will guarantee a future Administration cannot cut veterans' benefits in this way," said Ranking Member Blumenthal.

Cosponsors of the Carlton H. Ingram Veterans' Benefits Protection Act include House Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA-39) and U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Bernard Sanders (I-VT).

An Army Veteran, Representative Tran is dedicated to expanding protections and benefits for Veterans in Washington. The first bill Tran introduced in Congress was H.R. 1637, the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, to restore the livelihoods of Veterans wrongfully fired from their civil service positions. In September 2025, Tran's bipartisan Delivering Digitally for our Veterans Act, which aims to streamline the administration of Veterans' educational benefits through the G.I. Bill,unanimously passed the House. Tran has also been a vocal advocateof Orange County's first-ever Veteran cemetery at Gypsum Canyon, and signed twolettersurging federal support for its construction.

The Carlton H. Ingram Veterans' Benefits Protection Act is supported by the National Veterans Legal Service Program (NVLSP), National Association of County Service Officers (NACVSO), the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW), and American Veterans (AMVETS).

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Congressman Derek Tran represents California's 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.