Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., has introduced three bills intended to enhance the well-being of American veterans through improvements in burial procedures, oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and vets’ health care.
“As Veterans Day approaches, Congress must recommit to honoring our nation’s heroes not just in word, but in deed,” Biggs told The Daily Signal.
“Veterans deserve more than speeches and ceremonies—they deserve action. These bills deliver meaningful reforms that ease financial burdens, expand healthcare freedom, and hold the VA accountable to the men and women it serves. We owe our veterans the dignity of a government that keeps its word, honors their sacrifices, and works as hard for them as they did for us,” Biggs added.
The first piece of legislation the Arizona congressman is sponsoring is the Veterans’ Cremation Certainty Act. The bill would permit the predesignating of direct cremation through veterans’ burial benefits. That would allow payments to be made directly to burial providers at the time of a veteran’s death. The proposal would be implemented through current VA infrastructure and spending.
The second bill Biggs is backing is the Claims Legitimacy and Evaluation Accountability Nationwide for VA (CLEAN VA) Act. Its purpose is buttressing oversight and anti-corruption measures within the VA to make sure veterans are being adequately cared for and that taxpayer dollars are not being wasted through fraud and abuse. The bill in particular strengthens penalties for VA employee fraud and orders a review of the VA disability-rating schedule. It also enlarges ethics training for staff.
The final bill Biggs is supporting is the HSA for Heroes Act, which would permit eligible veterans to open and utilize health saving accounts for costs from caregiving and medicine. The bill would increase health savings while preserving VA benefits.
The Arizona lawmaker is a member of the House Freedom Caucus and currently serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and its subcommittee on military and foreign affairs.
Biggs has served in the House of Representatives since 2017, but could depart come 2027 if his gubernatorial bid in Arizona proves successful.
Biggs also has been a supporter of President Donald Trump’s war on the drug cartels, having previously sponsored a House resolution that would have declared members and affiliates of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua as “alien enemies” through the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
Rep. Andy Briggs, R-Ariz.
The Arizona congressman was instrumental in voting to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. According to one of Biggs’s aides he has “not made any public or private commitments on Speaker Johnson.” pic.twitter.com/rObpJZzfqp
— The Daily Signal (@DailySignal) January 3, 2025
“Congress must stand behind President Trump as he works to fulfill the demands of the American people to secure our border and restore safety to our communities,” Biggs told The Daily Signal in reference to the measure.
Prior to his federal service, he served as president of the Arizona state Senate and as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives. He is currently running to be the Republican nominee for governor of Arizona in the 2026 general election. If nominated, he would likely face off against incumbent Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs, who is seeking reelection.
