President Donald Trump this week signed into law the Protecting Regular Order (PRO) for Veterans Act, legislation authored by US Sen. Dan Sullivan, which tightens oversight and accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs after calamitous failures of the Biden Administration..
The new law is a response to events like the historic $15 billion budget shortfall in 2024 that was followed just two months later by a multi-billion-dollar surplus.
The PRO Vets Act is not a critique of the current VA administration but will ensure that n the future, regardless of who is in charge, the VA delivers quarterly, in-person budget reports to Congress for three years, and withholds bonuses for senior VA and Office of Management and Budget leaders in the event of fiscal mismanagement.
Sullivan, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said the law is designed to restore confidence in an agency that exists to serve America’s veterans.
“America’s veterans, who’ve served and sacrificed greatly for our country, deserve a Department of Veterans Affairs that is held to the highest possible standard of accountability,” Sullivan said. “The shocking budget debacle last year made clear that this agency was falling short of the standards our veterans deserve.”
Other Senate Republicans who supported the measure said the law ensures transparency and prevents VA leaders from rewarding themselves amid financial mismanagement. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) pointed to the Biden-era shortfall and subsequent bonuses as a “slap in the face” to veterans and taxpayers, while Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said the VA should be held to the same standards as working families who must balance their own budgets.
The legislation had broad GOP backing, with cosponsors including Sens. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Steve Daines of Montana, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, as well as Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
The timeline for the new requirements started in 2024:
Summer 2024 – Veterans Benefits Administration announced $15 billion shortfall, seeks $3 billion to cover immediate needs.
July 31, 2024 – Sullivan and Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota demanded an immediate hearing.
September 18, 2024 – Senate Veterans Affairs Committee held a hearing; Sullivan introduced the PRO Vets Act.
September 19, 2024 – Sullivan attempted to add the bill to a VA funding package; Senate Democrats blocked it.
November 18, 2024 – Sullivan and 15 colleagues demanded more VA accountability in a formal letter.
February 5, 2025 – Sullivan reintroduced the PRO Vets Act with 10 cosponsors.
April 10, 2025 – Senate passed the PRO Vets Act.
July 22, 2025 – House passed the bill.
September 2025 – Trump signed it into law.