3-1-2013
Fund VA Budget One Year in
Advance
House Veterans Affairs
Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (Fla.)
and Ranking Member Mike Michaud (Maine) introduced
the “Putting Veterans Funding First Act” (H.R. 813) this
week, legislation that would require Congress to fully fund the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) budget a year in
advance. This would provide budget authority
over two fiscal years, ensuring that all VA programs have timely,
predictable funding in an era where continuing resolutions and threats
of government shutdowns are all too common.
Currently, Congress provides
advanced funding for the VA’s health care programs as a result of
FRA-supported legislation enacted in 2009 (P. L. 81-111). Approving the
remainder of VA’s discretionary budget up front – roughly $8
billion – would make it easier for VA to plan for key investments
in information technology, claims processing improvements and
construction projects.
Members
are urged to use the FRA Action Center to ask their Representative to
support the bill.
| veteran, affairs, VA, funding, advance, two, one, year, fiscal, budget |
| |
News