Each year, America’s major veteran service organizations designate a day when members from across the country travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with their elected representatives. These annual “Hill Days” allow veterans to speak directly to lawmakers about issues affecting service members, veterans, and their families. This year, the first week in March is when organizations such as the VFW and American Legion, and others will all be “on the Hill!” 

It’s worth examining the priorities these organizations will be discussing. 

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) will place strong emphasis on federal budget issues, particularly ensuring that veterans’ benefits are not reduced or offset to pay for other programs. One long-standing concern involves military retirees with service-connected disabilities rated below 50 percent, whose retirement pay is reduced by the amount of their VA disability compensation. The VFW continues to press Congress to eliminate this policy. 

Addressing veteran homelessness is another VFW priority, including expanded funding for housing vouchers and supportive services. On national security, the VFW supports continued U.S. backing of allies such as Ukraine, Israel, South Korea, and Taiwan. The organization also stresses that all who served in harm’s way, including foreign nationals, interpreters, and allied partners, should receive recognition, care, and earned benefits. 

Eliminating veteran and military suicide remains central to the VFW’s advocacy. This includes strengthening mental health care, expanding research, and supporting alternative therapies for conditions such as PTSD and traumatic brain injury. The VFW also emphasizes that maintaining a strong all-volunteer force requires improved quality-of-life programs, competitive military pay, and eliminating food insecurity among service members. 

The American Legion’s 2026 priorities overlap in several key areas. Ending veteran suicide and veteran homelessness are at the top of the list. Additional goals include improving health care for women veterans and service members, reforming the process for determining service-connected disabilities, and ensuring GI Bill parity for National Guard and Reserve members. Like the VFW, the Legion emphasizes that strong national defense depends on taking care of military families through better housing, childcare access, and overall quality-of-life improvements. 

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) focuses on issues affecting veterans with disabilities. Its priorities include fixing the VA claims and appeals process and ensuring that disability compensation is never reduced, offset, or taxed. DAV also advocates expanding VA dental care eligibility to all service-connected disabled veterans, rather than limiting it to those rated at 100 percent. Long-term care, including assisted living and skilled nursing options, is another major focus. Mental health care, suicide prevention, and improved care for women veterans remain shared priorities across all three organizations. 

Some veterans ask why they should join a veterans’ organization, especially if they lack the time to participate actively. One important reason is advocacy. A portion of membership dues supports professional lobbying efforts in Washington, helping ensure that veterans’ voices are heard and that those who served receive the benefits and support they earned in defense of our nation.