WASHINGTON (January 17, 2025) – Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Senators Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in re-introducing the VA Home Loan Awareness Act of 2025, which would help educate veterans about the benefits available to them through the Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Loan Program.
“Our veterans gave so much to protect the American Dream, and we can help them as they work to achieve it themselves. Congress should pass this bill to make sure our brave warriors know about the home loan benefits they’ve earned,” said Kennedy.
“For decades, owning a home has been the bedrock of the American Dream, but too often, those who have put their lives on the line for our country have been hampered by a lack of information from their own government. I’m proud to join Senator Van Hollen and my other colleagues in introducing this commonsense measure to empower our veterans with the knowledge and resources necessary to secure a VA Home Loan and achieve the same dream they fought to defend,” said Sheehy.
“After serving our country in uniform, our veterans deserve the support of a grateful nation. The VA Home Loan Program is one way we provide that support—by helping veterans purchase homes. But far too many of our veterans are unaware of this program and what it has to offer. Our bipartisan bill will help ensure more veterans and their families have the opportunity to use it to achieve their goal of homeownership,” said Van Hollen.
The VA Home Loan Program offers benefits for veterans financing their home purchases, including no down payment, no private mortgage insurance and lower interest rates than conventional Federal Housing Administration loans.
Currently, just 13% of veterans use their VA Home Loan benefit. The legislation would:
- Add a disclosure on the Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) to inform veterans of their potential eligibility for a VA Home Loan.
- Direct applicants to consult their lenders for more information about the VA Home Loan Program.
- Instruct the Government Accountability Office to conduct a review and report to Congress regarding lenders’ adoption of the URLA form updates.
Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) also co-sponsored the legislation.
The full bill text is available here.
Kennedy first co-sponsored this bill in the 118th Congress in Nov. 2023.
