WASHINGTON — The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) applauds the federal court’s decision striking down Louisiana’s so-called “PLUS Act” as unconstitutional. This ruling sends a clear message: States cannot rewrite federal law to accommodate companies that rip off veterans – and any state considering similar legislation should take notice.
For years, the VFW has warned that laws like the PLUS Act undermine Congress’ carefully balanced system for veterans’ benefits and open the door to abuse and even fraud by unaccredited, fee-charging operators. The court’s decision confirms that those warnings were justified.
Let’s be honest – this law was never about protecting veterans. It was about protecting businesses that charge veterans unjustifiable fees for services that should be free. We saw through that and so did the court. The Louisiana law sidelined legitimate, accredited representatives to prop up an unregulated industry that scams veterans and the court shut it down.
The VA claims system is governed by federal law for a reason: to ensure uniform standards, qualified representation and real accountability – especially for agents and attorneys who can already charge for certain claims in the marketplace. When states attempt to create their own fee structures and regulatory schemes, they weaken those protections and confuse veterans.
This decision should serve as a warning to every state considering similar bills. If you try to override federal law and legitimize unaccredited operators, you will lose – and veterans will pay the price in the meantime.
Veterans should never have to wonder whether someone helping them is legitimate or just looking for a payday. If you’re OK with putting veterans into debt, you’re not serving them, you’re exploiting them.
The VFW has consistently led the fight against “Claim Sharks,” even when it meant facing lawsuits, political pressure and well-funded opposition. When others hesitated, we didn’t. We stood up because veterans deserve better. And we will keep standing up, no matter how uncomfortable it makes people who profit off this system.
This ruling preserves the integrity of the VA accreditation system and protects veterans from being steered toward unqualified, unregulated actors. It also reinforces a simple truth: accredited veterans service organizations like the VFW provide claims assistance free of charge – just as Congress intended.
This is a win for veterans across the country. It’s a win for transparency, accountability and fairness. And it’s a reminder that veterans’ benefits should never be treated as a get-rich-quick scheme.
The VFW urges lawmakers nationwide to learn from this decision and focus on strengthening accredited assistance rather than creating unconstitutional workarounds that benefit bad actors. We will continue working with lawmakers and regulators to ensure veterans are protected, informed, and never pressured to pay for benefits they have earned through their service.