Washington, D.C.—September 18, 2024…Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) is a cosponsor of H.R. 9468, the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives last night. This legislation fully funds the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) request for supplemental funding, addressing its massive funding shortfall, and holds the Biden-Harris administration accountable for its mismanagement of the VA budget.
Congressman Womack said, “Our nation’s veterans deserve and rely on resources from the VA budget. The Biden-Harris administration’s $15 billion shortfall is utterly unacceptable. By passing the VA supplemental bill, Congress stepped up for millions of veterans where the administration fell woefully short. Not only does this legislation fully fund the VA’s request, but it also ensures our heroes are never neglected by these failures again.”
Background:
Image provided by Sydney Rae
The VA’s failure to properly budget and account for enrollment growth and staffing costs in its budgetary process resulted in an unprecedented funding shortfall in veteran benefits for the remainder of FY24 and into FY25.
The House Appropriations Committee was notified of the potential shortfall in July—four months after the Biden-Harris administration submitted its Budget Request and following the markup of FY25 legislation in both chambers of Congress. The VA’s updated projections indicated a need of approximately $15 billion above what was originally requested, including an additional $3 billion for the remainder of FY24 for Compensation and Pensions and Readjustment Benefits (mandatory funding) and an additional $12 billion for FY25 for VA medical care (discretionary funding).
Without Congressional action before September 20, this shortfall would result in the Veterans Benefits Administration being unable to process benefits payments scheduled for October 1st.
Solution:
H.R. 9468 addresses the $3 billion shortfall in mandatory funding, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates would have no net budget effects.
The bill also includes language that holds the administration accountable, requiring a report to be submitted to Congress no later than 30 days after enactment as to why these budgetary errors took place and ways the VA is addressing its failure to accurately project needs and recurring reports on the status of funds of these accounts moving forward.