U.S. House of Representatives Unanimously Pass Bill - President Donald Trump Is Waiting For It as House Passes Bill To 4x...
Legislation was passed by the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives with unanimous bipartisan support this week that will increase the pensions of Medal of Honor recipients by four times.
The bill, which easily passed 424-0, will raise the annual pension for Medal of Honor recipients from $16,880 to $67,500.
The bill’s supporters, including Reps. Troy Nehls (R-TX) and Chris Pappas (D-NH), argue that the increase would help ease the financial strain for recipients who often travel across the country for speaking engagements at their own expense.
Veterans’ Affairs funding will fund the increased pensions through disability compensation.
To offset the cost of the pay increase, the bill extends the limitation on pensions for veterans without spouses or dependents from 2031 to 2033.
The legislation would benefit the 60 living Medal of Honor recipients, with approximately 3,500 individuals having received the prestigious award since it was first established in 1863.
The pension program for Medal of Honor recipients was introduced in 1916, with the recipients initially receiving $10 per month from the federal government.
Over the years, the stipend increased to $100 in 1961 and $1,000 in 2002.
The bill is introduced at a time when the National Medal of Honor Museum is set to open in Arlington, Texas, next month.
It is dedicated to sharing the stories of American heroes who displayed extraordinary bravery in battle.
President Trump has awarded the Medal of Honor to multiple recipients during his second term.
As of June 2026, there have been at least two notable White House ceremonies.
The first came on March 2, 2026, honoring three U.S. Army soldiers (two posthumously), and the second was on June 18, 2026, honoring two Marine Corps veterans (one posthumously) and one Army veteran.
As noted by the Army’s website, here’s a breakdown of who was awarded:
Master Sergeant Roderick (Roddie) W. Edmonds (posthumous): Edmonds, a POW in World War II, is recognized for defying his German captors. As the senior noncommissioned officer in a Stalag, he protected Jewish American prisoners by ordering all POWs to claim Jewish identity when the Germans demanded separation, famously stating, “We are all Jews here.” This act of moral courage saved lives amid the Holocaust. His recognition reflects long-term reviews of WWII heroism.
Staff Sergeant Michael H. Ollis (posthumous): On August 28, 2013, in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, while serving with the 10th Mountain Division at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Ollis (from Staten Island, NY) responded to a complex insurgent attack involving grenades, mortars, rockets, and a suicide bomber. He ordered soldiers to bunkers, then advanced with a Polish officer to repel the breach. When an insurgent wounded the Polish officer, Ollis shielded him with his body from the suicide vest detonation, sacrificing his life at age 24 to save his ally. His prior Silver Star was upgraded. His parents accepted the medal.
Command Sergeant Major Terry P. Richardson (Retired): On September 14, 1968, near Loc Ninh, Vietnam, then-Staff Sergeant Richardson led a reconnaissance platoon with Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. His unit faced a well-entrenched North Vietnamese Army battalion. He braved machine-gun fire three times to rescue wounded comrades, then advanced alone through enemy lines to secure Hill 222 and direct tactical air strikes for seven hours while under sniper fire—despite being wounded. His actions helped save about 85 soldiers from an enemy regimental base camp. He received the medal in person.
In June, here’s who Trump awarded:
Then-Second Lieutenant Capers led a nine-man 3rd Force Reconnaissance team near Phu Loc, Vietnam, from March 31 to April 3, 1967. Tasked with locating a North Vietnamese regimental base camp, the patrol repeatedly clashed with superior enemy forces. On the final day, an ambush wounded Capers severely (gunshots and fragmentation). Despite blood loss, he directed artillery and supporting fires, coordinated movements, and prioritized evacuating his Marines. He refused extraction until all were safe aboard the helicopter. His prior Silver Star was upgraded; he is 88 and received the medal in person.
Colonel John W. Ripley, U.S. Marine Corps (posthumous): On April 2, 1972, during the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive, then-Captain Ripley (Senior Marine Advisor to the 3rd Vietnamese Marine Infantry Battalion) single-handedly halted a massive enemy armored advance at the Dong Ha Bridge over the Cua Viet River. Under intense fire, he crawled across the bridge multiple times (wiring explosives while praying “Jesus, Mary, get me across”), destroying it and preventing thousands of enemy troops and tanks from crossing. This legendary “Ripley at the Bridge” action (previously a Navy Cross) bought critical time for allied forces. His family accepted the medal.
Major Nicholas Dockery, U.S. Army (Retired): On October 2, 2012, in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, then-Second Lieutenant Dockery (platoon leader, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division) led a combined U.S.-Afghan force ambushed by a large Taliban element (~150 fighters with machine guns, RPGs, etc.). He repeatedly exposed himself crossing open ground under fire to rally troops, reinforce positions, and aid the wounded. He shielded a soldier from a grenade with his body, fought off enemies dragging an unconscious comrade (Sgt. Jack Hansbro), provided lifesaving aid (including CPR), and signaled gunships from an exposed roof. His leadership turned the tide. A West Point graduate, he received the medal in person.
Vance Points Finger At ‘Migrant Communities’ Committing Most Fraud
Earlier this year, President Trump appointed Vice President Vance to lead a task force to identify instances of waste, fraud, and abuse in an effort to save taxpayer dollars from being stolen by bad actors.
By any measure, Vance’s efforts have been successful, and this week, the veep made an announcement about widespread fraud in certain communities that dovetails into the president’s ongoing mass deportation efforts.
Certain migrant communities are contributing to widespread fraud schemes that have cost taxpayers billions of dollars, Vance said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Speaking from his West Wing office at the White House last week, Vance discussed his role overseeing President Trump’s fraud task force.
He said investigators have identified what he described as a consistent pattern of coordination involving some migrant communities.
“You definitely see patterns where certain communities,” Vance said.
“It’ll start as maybe one Somali person takes advantage of the system, or realizes you don’t even have to have children to get money from these programs,” the VP continued.
“You could just claim that you have children, there’s no verification. Then, word spreads like wildfire, and that program gets tapped into by the same members of that community,” he added, describing how the abuse rapidly spreads.
Vance, who has also been involved in negotiations with Iran and recently welcomed a new addition to his family, has taken on a broad range of responsibilities within the administration.
He was assigned to lead efforts to combat fraud after concerns intensified in Minneapolis earlier this year and is now working alongside Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and other federal agencies.
In recent months, federal officials have suspended payments to hundreds of hospice and home health agencies in Minnesota and California that are suspected of fraudulent activity.
The task force is also monitoring similar concerns in several other states.
Vance said the investigations have revealed fraud schemes that affect a wide range of victims, extending far beyond the financial losses suffered by taxpayers.
“The first and the most obvious victim is the American taxpayer,” Vance said.
“You give your money to the federal government, and you expect the federal government, even if you disagree with the policy behind it, you expect that money to go to the people that it’s supposed to go to,” the Veep told Fox News.
“When a new mom goes to apply for help for herself and her baby, the money isn’t there anymore,” said Vance.
“Or, you have autistic kids who benefit from services that are meant to go to the families of children with autism, and you have fraudsters who get rich off these programs,” he added.
“Sometimes they don’t even have children, much less autistic children enrolled.”
Democrats have blasted the Trump administration’s anti-fraud efforts, claiming, falsely, that the White House and Republicans are depriving needy children of food and other assistance.
In reality, Vance and his team have uncovered hundreds of billions of dollars in fraudulent payments, much of it to migrant communities taking advantage of the system.
Vance said his team has uncovered roughly $230 billion in suspected fraud since President Trump took office and has halted approximately $55 billion in federal payments to individuals and organizations under investigation.
The administration’s efforts have been accompanied by a series of recent law enforcement actions.
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Last week, federal and state authorities charged 19 defendants accused of participating in schemes involving more than $4 million in fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid claims, according to the Department of Justice.
In Pennsylvania, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced a plea agreement with the final defendant in a previously filed case involving 21 people accused of submitting more than $1.7 million in fraudulent claims to government health care programs, Fox News added.
