(The Center Square) – With a looming deadline to fund benefits to about 7 million veterans in October, and Congress out until Sept. 9, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and six colleagues have filed legislation to get full funding.
A Republican and independent are among the six. Veterans Affairs is facing a deficit of about $15 billion the remainder of this year and next – a deficit larger than the annual budget of the Environmental Protection Agency, says one senator.
It’s at least the second significant movement involving the VA and its finances since July 31. Earlier, the Committee on Veterans Affairs – its role in oversight, the checks and balances – requested an immediate hearing because four months after presenting its budget to Congress, Secretary Denis McDonough said the VA needed $2.88 billion for disability and education benefits as soon as October, and $15 billion total to cover shortfalls this and next fiscal year.
The VA’s budget request was $369.3 billion, a 9.8% increase above the 2024 estimate level. The fiscal year ends Sept. 30.
“We are frustrated to hear VA may not have properly accounted for certain benefits through the end of the fiscal year,” said Pat Murray in a release. He’s national legislative director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. “Each year Congress has provided VA with the resources it requested for veterans’ care and benefits. It is disappointing to learn VA has not requested enough money to properly fund VA care and benefits.”
McDonough has rebuffed calls to resign and plans to serve through noon Inauguration Day, as appointees regularly do. He’s under the microscope not only for this summer’s about-face, but also for last fall’s discovery of nearly $11 million in bonuses going to career executives ineligible to receive them.
The VA budget has grown 25% under this administration. Enrollments of veterans added to health care in that time are up 3 million.
The PACT Act – Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 – has been among the parts of the equation. It expended health care for veterans exposed to burn pits and toxic substances. Legislatively, it was a mostly party line and fiscal hawks battle with only 34 House Republicans in favor and 14 Senate Republicans voting against it.
In a release, Collins said, “For far too long, veterans exposed to toxic substances such as Agent Orange and burn pits during their deployments have not received the recognition or resources they needed. This comprehensive legislation puts us on the path to fulfilling the enormous debt we owe these veterans by expanding critical research on toxic exposure and providing relief to toxic-exposed veterans who may be experiencing serious illnesses and debilitating symptoms.”
Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Patty Murray of West Virginia, Jon Tester of Montana, John Boozman of Arkansas, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Jerry Moran of Kansas were the other senators on board with the legislation. Sinema is independent, Morgan a Republican, the rest Democrats.
The timing of presenting a budget to Congress and four months later asking for such a shortfall to be covered is the reason a group of members in the oversight committee want an expedited hearing. Those senators are Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Mike Rounds of South Dakota.
