September 2026 Veterans Advocacy & Benefits Report: What You Need to Know

The American Latino Veterans Association (ALVA) has released the September edition of our Veterans Advocacy & Benefits Report, highlighting the most important policy, legislative, benefits, and service developments affecting veterans and military families.

Three developments to know this month:

• Faster access to military records, benefits and employment resources. A new Executive Order directs improved sharing of military personnel and medical records with VA and calls for new digital tools designed to help streamline access to benefits and employment resources for transitioning servicemembers and veterans.

• The Major Richard Star Act is approaching a critical point in Congress. The bipartisan legislation would allow certain combat-injured, medically retired veterans to receive both their full military retirement pay and VA disability compensation. A House discharge petition was reported just one signature short of the threshold needed to force further House action.

• VA announced $1.17 billion to combat veteran homelessness. The funding will support 680 organizations nationwide providing homelessness prevention, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, and specialized services for veterans and their families, with awards beginning October 1.

The September report also covers other federal legislation, state-level veterans initiatives, upcoming education-benefit rate changes, VA health care enrollment, VET TEC 2.0 high-tech career training opportunities, and key developments to watch in the weeks ahead.

[READ THE SEPTEMBER 2026 REPORT]

Through this monthly report, ALVA is working to make complex policy and benefits information easier to understand—and to help veterans, families, advocates, and partners stay informed about developments that can directly affect them.

Please feel free to share this report with veterans, servicemembers, military families, and others in your network who may benefit from it.

Stay informed. Stay engaged.

American Latino Veterans Association (ALVA)
Defending America, Always
Valor • Honor • Vital

alvavets.org | @alvavets

About American Latino Veterans Association (ALVA):
The American Latino Veterans Association (ALVA) is a registered 501c3 non-profit that exists to help American Latino veterans thrive after their military service, access the benefits they have earned, and enhance recognition of Latino contributions to our nation’s defense throughout its history. ALVA membership is free to all veterans, active duty, guard, reserves, and family members, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, national origin, or disability status. For more information on ALVA visit https://www.alvavets.org or follow us on our social media channels @alvavets.