VA Withdraws Proposed Rule Change After Backlash from Veterans

VA Deputy Secretary says agency has 'no intention' of implementing the controversial policy that would have impacted disability benefits.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has withdrawn a proposed rule change that would have impacted how disability benefits are calculated for millions of veterans across the country. VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence said the agency will not be implementing the rule after widespread criticism from veterans and advocacy groups, who warned the change could penalize veterans for seeking treatment.

Why it matters

The proposed rule change sparked outrage among veterans and their advocates, who argued it would discourage veterans from seeking necessary medical treatment for fear of having their disability ratings reduced. This could have had significant financial consequences for disabled veterans who rely on their VA disability payments.

The details

The rule would have allowed the VA to rate veterans' disabilities based on their condition while on medication, rather than their baseline unmedicated state. This could have resulted in lower disability ratings and reduced payments for veterans. VA leadership has now stated they have 'no intention' of ever implementing the rule, and experts predict the agency will officially rescind it at the end of the public comment period in April.

  • On February 19, 2026, VA Secretary Doug Collins said the rule 'will not be enforced at any time in the future'.
  • The public comment period for the proposed rule change is scheduled to end on April 20, 2026.

The players

Paul Lawrence

VA Deputy Secretary who announced the agency will not implement the controversial rule change.

Doug Collins

VA Secretary who stated the proposed rule 'will not be enforced at any time in the future'.

Pete Kasperowicz

VA spokesman who previously said the rule 'will have no impact on any veteran's current disability rating'.

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What they’re saying

“Our intentions were to put out a rule, which we thought would clarify our processes. But obviously, it did not. So, we withdrew the rule. And candidly, we have no intention of ever doing anything or talking about it ever again.”

— Paul Lawrence, VA Deputy Secretary (Disabled American Veterans* conference)

“Veterans advocates were incredibly concerned over the wording of a new rule that will not be enforced... Of course, the concern would be the rule would change the way veterans sought certain treatments and medications for fear of the new rating system.”

— Alex Beene, Financial literacy instructor, University of Tennessee at Martin (Newsweek)

What’s next

The VA is expected to officially rescind the proposed rule change at the end of the public comment period on April 20, 2026.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of veteran advocacy groups in pushing back against policy changes that could negatively impact the financial security and healthcare of disabled veterans. The VA's swift withdrawal of the rule change demonstrates their responsiveness to the concerns of the veteran community.