Thompson Leads Bipartisan Effort to Expand VA Benefits for Veterans with Service-Connected Diseases

October 26, 2026 Press Release Santa Rosa, CA – Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04), Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Sarah Elfreth (D-MD) and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) led a bipartisan effort urging the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to recognize Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) as a presumptive service-connected condition, helping veterans with the debilitating disease access the benefits they have earned through their service. IBM is a progressive, incurable neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness, loss of mobility, difficulty swallowing, and other serious complications. Despite its significant clinical and pathological similarities to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which the VA already recognizes as a presumptive service-connected condition, veterans diagnosed with IBM must navigate a lengthy and burdensome process to establish that their disease is connected to military service. “As a combat veteran, I know how important it is that veterans who served our country receive the care and benefits they have earned,” said Thompson. “Inclusion Body Myositis is a progressive, incurable disease that can rob veterans of their mobility and independence. They should not have to fight a lengthy claims process while living with this devastating disease.” Thompson’s effort has been supported by the advocacy of The Myositis Association and Jane and Ross Liscum , whose work has helped raise awareness of the challenges veterans with IBM face and the need for greater recognition of the disease. Their continued support has helped bring attention to this issue and build support for action to assist affected veterans. Ross Liscum, a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran who served in Vietnam in 1969-70 and was exposed to Agent Orange, described his experience living with IBM and the importance of recognizing the disease. “I never imagined that after serving my country, I would have to fight another battle just to have my disease recognized,” said Ross Liscum, USMC Veteran, Santa Rosa, CA . “Recognition of IBM as a presumptive service-connected condition would mean that veterans and their families would no longer have to fight this battle alone.” “As the wife of a Combat Vietnam USMC Veteran living with Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM), I have watched this devastating, progressive disease gradually rob my husband of his strength, independence, and quality of life. Here in Sonoma County, we are one family living with the consequences of this disease, but veterans and their families across America are facing these same heartbreaking struggles. I am deeply grateful to Congressman Mike Thompson for his leadership,” said Jane Liscum, Proud Wife & Caregiver of USMC Vietnam Combat Veteran, Santa Rosa, CA. “These veterans have already served and sacrificed for our country. They deserve to have their voices heard, their illnesses taken seriously, and their claims fairly evaluated. Our veterans should not have to fight their own government for recognition while fighting a disease that is taking away their independence and dignity. Congressman Thompson's compassion, commitment, and leadership give our family, and so many others, something invaluable: hope.” “Thank you to each Member of Congress who signed on to this letter and supported military veterans who live with inclusion body myositis. TMA proudly stands with you in calling upon the Veterans Benefits Administration at the US Department of Veterans Affairs to approve a presumptive service connection for veterans with IBM,” said Rich DeAugustinis, Chair, The Myositis Association (TMA) board of directors. “The Myositis Association is especially grateful for the leadership and empathy of the four letter sponsors, who have brought tremendous visibility to the needs of veterans and care partners living with IBM. Special thanks to Representatives Gus Bilirakis, Mike Thompson, and Sarah Elfreth; and to Senator Tammy Baldwin. Your continued courage in demanding the very best for those who have served is inspirational!” “Veterans living with IBM should not be left waiting for recognition and relief,” continued Thompson. “I’m grateful to The Myositis Association and the Liscums for their persistence on behalf of these veterans. We must keep working to make sure those who sacrificed for our country receive the support they earned.” In their letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins, the lawmakers urge the Department to use its existing regulatory authority to add IBM as a presumptive service-connected condition. This change would help veterans access earned benefits without having to individually establish a direct connection between their diagnosis and military service. Joining Thompson in the letter were Representatives James Baird (IN-04), Aaron Bean (FL-04), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), André Carson (IN-07), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Donald Davis (NC-01), Jake Ellzey (TX-06), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), French Hill (AR-02), Jeff Hurd (CO-03), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Henry Johnson (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Michael Lawler (NY-17), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13), Lucy McBath (GA-06), James McGovern (MA-02), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Sarah McBride (DE-00), Carol Miller (WV-01), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), August Pfluger (TX-11), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Emily Randall (WA-06), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Rich McCormick (GA-07), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Thomas Suozzi (NY-03), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). Read the full text of Thompson’s letter HERE and below. Dear Secretary Collins, We respectfully write to request your consideration of amending Title 38 § 3.318 to include Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) as a presumptive service-connected condition under VA regulation. Currently, Veterans diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) after active duty receive presumptive service connection due to the disease’s severity, progression, and association with military service. However, IBM – a progressive, incurable neuromuscular disease with significant molecular, clinical, and pathological similarities to ALS – remains excluded. As a result, Veterans diagnosed with IBM must navigate a lengthy and burdensome individualized claims process to establish direct service connection, despite growing evidence linking environmental exposures during military service to both ALS and IBM. Experts, including Dr. Thomas Lloyd of Baylor University (formerly of Johns Hopkins University) and Dr. Todd Cohen of the University of North Carolina, have highlighted the overlap between these conditions and the heightened exposure risks faced by military populations. According to a review by Dr. Julie Tomaska, a former member of the VA National Research Advisory Council, the prevalence of IBM among Veterans is approximately 189 per million, compared to 15 per million in the civilian population. The review also found that Veterans with IBM experience significantly higher mortality rates and often develop the disease 10 to 15 years earlier than the civilian population. Like ALS, IBM causes irreversible muscle weakness, loss of mobility and fine motor function, difficulty swallowing, and eventually respiratory failure. There is currently no cure or effective treatment. Yet unlike ALS patients, Veterans with IBM are not afforded a presumptive pathway to benefits, resulting in inconsistent adjudications and inequitable outcomes. According to a July 2025 VA Freedom of Information Act response, 6,771 Veterans nationwide are currently receiving care for IBM through the VA healthcare system. The same response reflects a 221% increase in diagnosed cases since 2010, underscoring the growing impact of this debilitating disease and the need for further research into potential service-related and environmental causes. This issue also aligns with broader congressional efforts to better understand neurological diseases associated with toxic exposures, including work being done through the Healthy Brains Act and a current National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine review examining links between military-related exposures and neurodegenerative conditions, including IBM. While we look forward to the findings of that review, we respectfully emphasize that Veterans currently suffering from IBM should not be left waiting for recognition and relief. Given the relatively limited but clearly identifiable affected population, we believe this matter may be appropriately addressed through the Department’s existing regulatory authority. Thank you for your continued commitment to our nation’s Veterans and for your consideration of this important request. Sincerely, Issues : Veterans