Representative Dave Min Pushes Bipartisan Fostering TRUST Act to Strengthen Veteran Care

Washington, D.C. - Representative Dave Min (CA-47) spoke before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs in support of his Bipartisan Fostering TRUST Act of 2026 at the Veterans Affair Committee, legislation he is co-leading with Representative Fitzpatrick (PA-01) to strengthen accountability, transparency, and data to deliver the right resources for Veterans in crisis.

The Fostering TRUST Act of 2026 will require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand reporting on care provided to veterans, notify Congress of suicides and attempted suicides that occur at VA and Community Care facilities, and ensure families of veterans are informed of VA support services available to them. The legislation builds on the previously introduced FIGHT Veterans Suicides Act, which passed the House during the 116th Congress but was not enacted.

"Veterans who are struggling deserve a system that sees them, supports them, and responds before it is too late," said Rep. Dave Min. "In Orange County, we are home to more than 24,000 veterans, and our responsibility to them does not end when their service does. This bipartisan bill is about making sure Congress and the VA have the timely, accurate information needed to identify gaps in care, strengthen accountability, and better support veterans and their families in moments of crisis."

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TRANSCRIPT:

"Thank you, Chairman and Ranking Member Brownley for holding today's legislative hearing. I also want to thank Representative Fitzpatrick for agreeing to co-lead this important bipartisan legislation to try to strengthen transparency and accountability in the care of our nation's veterans.

This bill, H.R. 9018, builds on previous legislation introduced by Representative Max Rose in the 116th Congress, the Fight Veterans Suicide Act, but what's clear several Congresses later is that there is still significant work to do in this regard of properly addressing suicide. That this is, unfortunately, one of the most persistent and urgent challenges facing service members, veterans, and their families today.

According to the VA, in 2023, there were almost 6400 veteran suicides deaths, 39% of which were receiving VHA care either in 2022 or 2023. In 2023, suicide was the 12th leading cause of death for veterans and was the second leading cause of death for veterans under the age of 45.

This is an important district across the nation, but including in my district, which has about 24,000 veterans and their families across Orange county, of course, that number is much higher. We need better accountability, transparency, and data to try to deliver the right resources and care for those struggling.

My bill, the Fostering Trust Act of 2026, would try to do this by requiring the VA to notify the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees, as well as the members of congress representing the district where a facility is located and the district where the veterans reside when a suicide or attempted suicide happens. Standardizing this notification process and the important information that each notification would include, would help strengthen this body's ability to try to focus its efforts, legislative and otherwise, and deploy resources more effectively to address the crisis.

This bill specifically would expand existing reporting requirements to cover veterans receiving care through VA community care providers, require the VA to notify congress within seven days of a suicide or attempted suicide occurring at a VA facility or a community care provider facility, would require the VA to provide congress with follow up information regarding the veteran's interaction with VA or community care providers, and ensure that immediate family members are informed of any VA support services or assistance for which they may be eligible. This bill, of course, emphasizes transparency, accountability and support for veterans in crisis. I think these are important values, and I am grateful for the broad bipartisan support for this. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I yield back."

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