We are hearing that the Department of Veterans Affairs may withdraw this Interim Final Rule in the coming days. If that happens, it will be because veterans and organizations across the country spoke up and demanded oversight.

However, even if the rule is formally pulled, the underlying concern does not disappear.

The February 17, 2026 amendment to 38 CFR §4.10 raised serious questions about how disability evaluations could be conducted when medication or treatment improves a veteran’s functional ability. For Coast Guard veterans, many of whom rely on ongoing treatment to manage service-connected conditions, the concern is clear: managing symptoms should never be interpreted as evidence that a disability no longer exists.

Veterans’ disability compensation was designed to reflect the average impairment of earning capacity caused by service-connected conditions. It was never intended to discourage treatment or to place veterans at risk of losing benefits because they follow medical guidance.

If the rule is withdrawn, that is a positive step. But withdrawal alone is not enough. We must ensure that future regulatory changes do not revive this approach under a different name or through administrative reinterpretation.

That is why we are asking Congress and national leaders to exercise oversight and reaffirm the statutory intent behind veterans’ disability compensation. Coast Guard veterans deserve stability, clarity, and protection from unintended policy shifts that could undermine earned benefits.

This campaign is about more than one rule. It is about ensuring that responsible treatment is never treated as recovery, and that those who served are not penalized for managing the lasting effects of their service.