February 18, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mission Roll Call applauds yesterday’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reversing a decades-old policy that stripped veterans of their Second Amendment rights simply because they needed assistance managing their VA benefits. By ending the practice of reporting veterans in the VA Fiduciary Program to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) absent a judicial determination, VA has taken a meaningful step to restore due process and constitutional protections for those who served.

For years, veterans who accepted fiduciary assistance were automatically categorized as “prohibited persons” for firearm background checks — without any court finding that they posed a danger to themselves or others. Many veterans faced an unfair choice: seek help navigating complex benefit systems or preserve their constitutional rights. Today’s action corrects that imbalance.

“Mission Roll Call commends VA Secretary Doug Collins and the leadership team at VA for recognizing this injustice and acting to correct it,” said Jim Whaley, CEO of Mission Roll Call. “Veterans who need help managing their earned benefits should never lose essential constitutional protections as a result. This decision restores fairness and reinforces that due process matters.”

Mission Roll Call has been a consistent advocate on this issue. Through national surveys, public testimony before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and published analysis, MRC has worked to highlight the unintended consequences of the previous policy. Veterans made clear that access to benefits and care should not come at the cost of constitutional rights.

MRC also supported legislative efforts designed to address this concern and encouraged policymakers to ensure any restriction on a veteran’s rights be based on an individualized judicial determination — the same standard applied to every other American. Today’s decision reflects that principle.

“This is about trust,” Whaley added. “Veterans should not be penalized for seeking assistance. When policy unintentionally discourages engagement with VA services, everyone loses. Correcting this policy strengthens confidence in the system and honors the rights of those who defended them.”

Mission Roll Call looks forward to continued collaboration with VA leadership and Congress to ensure these protections remain durable and veterans are never again placed in the position of choosing between support and constitutional rights.