The Senate, scrambling to protect benefits for veterans, on Thursday passed a $3 billion emergency spending bill to plug part of a looming budget shortfall at the VA.
The bill, first introduced in the House by Rep. Mike Garcia, is expected to ease a cash crunch at the agency and head off any lapse in health care services, pension benefits or life insurance policy payments, among others. It now heads to the White House to be signed by President Biden.
“This funding gap supplemental getting through the House, getting through the Senate is huge,” Mr. Garcia, California Republican, said. “Now we need the president to sign it into law to avoid the cliff that comes on Friday.”
But the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act does not go all the way to address another staggering budget shortfall forecast for the upcoming fiscal year.
The legislation comes after VA officials warned Congress in July that they expected the agency would outspend this fiscal year’s budget by $2.88 billion and go over President Biden’s fiscal 2025 budget request by a further $11.97 billion.
The shortfall largely comes from the rollout of the Honoring Our PACT Act, which opened up benefits to veterans exposed to toxic substances and burn pits, and an increase in hiring to accommodate the massive uptick of veterans seeking benefits.
The VA’s budget this year reached $325.1 billion total, and Mr. Biden requested a total of $369.3 billion for fiscal 2025, including $24.5 billion for the PACT Act’s Toxic Exposures fund and $200 million for leases related to the legislation.
The agency’s budget problems have become a part of the ongoing government funding fight, and Democrats are urging that extra money be included in a forthcoming funding patch. Republicans have so far rejected the push.
Sen. Patty Murray, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, lauded the bill’s passage and eventual signing by Mr. Biden, but warned that more is needed.
“That includes passing full-year funding bills that support our veterans as soon as possible — Congress cannot allow for a government shutdown or a half-year CR,” Ms. Murray, Washington Democrat, said. “I urge my House Republican colleagues to replicate the bipartisan approach they demonstrated just this week and come to the table and work with the rest of us to pass a responsible, bipartisan continuing resolution so we can all avert a needless and devastating government shutdown.”
The emergency spending bill requires the Biden administration and Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough to produce a report within 60 days of the bill’s passage that details how much money is left in pension and benefit accounts up to 2026.
It also requires reports on the accuracy of financial projections and the movement of money under the VA in fiscal 2025, plus a green light for the VA inspector general to investigate how the shortfall during this fiscal year happened.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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