Staff Reports
The Government Accountability Office dropped a blunt memo this week about the VA’s new foreclosure-prevention push, and it stings. The GAO found that the Department of Veterans Affairs rolled out the Partial Claim Program without a real plan to measure whether it will work. That is not a small oversight. It is a huge problem for veterans and taxpayers alike.
GAO report: VA has no real evaluation plan for Partial Claim Program
On Nov. 10, 2026, GAO published a report saying VA “has planned a high‑level approach” but failed to create a comprehensive evaluation plan for the Partial Claim Program. The program formally began in mid‑June 2026, but VA told GAO it won’t analyze trends and outcomes until December 2027 — more than a year after launch. For a program that expires in five years unless Congress reauthorizes it, waiting that long to collect hard evidence is simply irresponsible.
What the Partial Claim Program promises — and what it leaves unanswered
The basic idea is simple and popular: VA will reimburse mortgage servicers for missed veteran payments so loans are brought current. Veterans then repay that amount without interest when they refinance, sell or pay off the loan. Sounds fine on paper, and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins thanked Congress and President Trump when the law passed. But GAO flagged real design holes — like a general cap of one partial claim per loan and the rule that such claims can’t generally be paired with loan modifications that lower monthly payments. Many industry and advocate groups told GAO those limits could shortchange veterans compared with other federal programs.
Why oversight and quick data matter — for veterans and taxpayers
More than 9,000 VA‑guaranteed homes were foreclosed in 2025, which explains the urgency. But urgency is no excuse for sloppy execution. Without a solid plan to measure outcomes, VA can’t tell Congress whether the program is reducing foreclosures, saving taxpayer dollars, or leaving veterans worse off. GAO recommended the Secretary develop a clear evaluation plan that identifies methods to isolate program effects, the data to collect, and how findings would be used to improve the program. Translation: prove it works, or fix it fast.
What should happen next
Practical steps are obvious. VA should accelerate the evaluation timeline, publish milestones, and cooperate with servicers and veteran groups to gather timely data. Congress should demand interim reports before the reauthorization clock runs out. If the one‑claim rule or the ban on combining with loan mods is harming veterans, lawmakers must be ready to change the law — or stop pretending the program is a win for veterans and taxpayers. This is not a press release moment. It’s a test of whether Washington can actually protect those who served.
