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H.R. 7176119th CongressIn committeeLatest action Jan 21, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 7176 directs the VA to build a secure, opt-in platform letting verified veterans search for and message former unit members.
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HR 7176 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to build and operate a secure online platform where verified veterans can search for and message people they served with. Veterans could search by branch of service, dates of service, and military job. Users could adjust privacy settings, block others, or delete their accounts at any time, and no personal contact details would be shared without the veteran's explicit choice.
The platform would be open only to US military veterans who verify their service and choose to participate. The VA and any private contractors hired to help run the system would face new legal obligations under the bill.
The bill places strict limits on how platform data can be used, banning advertising, lead-selling to lawyers or financial advisers, and data brokering by both the VA and its contractors. The VA Inspector General would conduct regular security and misuse reviews, and violations could result in legal penalties.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.