News · Oct. 14, 2026

H.R. 6047 would let Guard and Reserve members qualify for a VA loan sooner

Short answer

H.R. 6047, the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, is best known for raising the VA IRRRL funding fee from 0.5% to 1.4%. It would also let Guard and Reserve members count certain training as active duty and qualify for a VA home loan after 14 days instead of 90, with an extra 1% funding fee for those who qualify only that way. The House passed it on May 21, 2026, but the Senate has not voted as of Oct. 14, 2026, so none of it is law yet.

Published Oct. 14, 2026 · Chicago VA Loans editorial team · How we check facts

What would change for Guard and Reserve members

	Today	Under H.R. 6047
Path to eligibility	90 days of non-training active duty, or 6 creditable years	Specified reserve training would also count as active duty
Minimum active duty	90 days	14 days
Funding fee for those newly eligible	Not applicable	Standard fee plus 1%

The Congressional Budget Office expects most reservists who become eligible this way to reach the 90-day mark within their first year and avoid the extra 1%. Current eligibility rules.

The fee changes in the same bill

Fee	Today	Under H.R. 6047
IRRRL (streamline refinance)	0.5%	1.4%
Loan assumption	0.5%	1.0%
Purchase loans	2.15% first use, under 5% down	No change; current rates extended through Sept. 30, 2036

Under current law, purchase funding fees are scheduled to fall for loans guaranteed after June 9, 2034. The bill would keep today’s rates in place two more years. Veterans exempt from the funding fee, including those receiving disability compensation, would stay exempt. Today’s funding fee chart.

Where the bill stands

Feb. 12, 2026: House Veterans’ Affairs Committee ordered the bill reported.
March 12, 2026: CBO published its cost estimate, about $4.0 billion in lower direct spending over 2026–2036.
May 20, 2026: House adopted the rule for floor debate, 208–207.
May 21, 2026: House passed the bill.
June 2026: Placed on the Senate calendar.
As of Oct. 14, 2026: no Senate vote. Military.com has reported the bill stalled in the Senate over its home loan provisions. Nothing in the bill is law yet.

What Illinois Guard and Reserve members can do now

Check whether you already qualify: 90 days of non-training Title 10 active duty, or 6 creditable years. How to get your COE.
If you are close to 90 days on orders, waiting may avoid any extra fee if the bill passes.
If you plan an IRRRL, the current 0.5% fee still applies. Check your break-even.

Common questions

Can National Guard members get a VA loan after 14 days?

Not today. Current rules require 90 days of non-training Title 10 active duty or 6 creditable years. H.R. 6047 would allow 14 days if certain training counts, but it is not law as of Oct. 14, 2026.

Does H.R. 6047 raise the VA funding fee on home purchases?

No. It would raise the IRRRL fee to 1.4% and the assumption fee to 1.0%, and extend current purchase fee rates through Sept. 30, 2036.

Has H.R. 6047 passed the Senate?

No. The House passed it on May 21, 2026, and it was placed on the Senate calendar in June, but the Senate had not voted as of Oct. 14, 2026.

Sources

What will your VA funding fee be?

Enter a price and down payment to see the 2026 fee, or check whether you are exempt.

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An independent guide. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and not a lender. General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.