Brian
10-30-2013, 01:03
WASHINGTON — Leaders of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees want to make sure the Department of Veterans Affairs has all of its funding a full year in advance, even in the event of a government shutdown.
But so far, VA officials haven’t publicly backed the idea.
On Wednesday, lawmakers from both parties will join with veterans advocates to rally in support of the advance appropriations idea, one that has been circulating Capitol Hill for almost nine months.
About 86 percent of VA’s annual budget is approved a full year in advance. Congress made that change back in 2009 to make sure critical veterans programs -- like hospital operations and health care research -- weren’t disrupted by annual delays to the congressional appropriations process.
But now most major veterans advocates are saying that isn’t enough.
The recent government shutdown did close down several VA hotlines, shutter some regional offices and stop mandatory overtime for claims processors. If advance funding was provided for all VA programs, they argue, no such problems would have occurred.
VA officials have remained publicly ambivalent on the plan. Earlier this month, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki told lawmakers he was focused on getting Congress to pass budgets on time, deflecting questions about the advance appropriations idea.
The White House budget request for VA’s fiscal 2014 budget was $152.7 billion. Congress has not finalized work on that funding plan, even though the new fiscal year began Oct. 1.
Lawmakers argue that the advance funding plan, along with avoiding the partisan budgetary gridlock, would give Congress more oversight on multiyear funding proposals.
Congressional supporters hope the recent shutdown problems will spur colleagues into action on the issue.
By Leo Shane III
Stars and Stripes
Published: October 29, 2013
http://www.stripes.com/lawmakers-push-for-100-percent-advance-funding-for-va-1.249826
Sent from my Honey Badger of an iPhone
But so far, VA officials haven’t publicly backed the idea.
On Wednesday, lawmakers from both parties will join with veterans advocates to rally in support of the advance appropriations idea, one that has been circulating Capitol Hill for almost nine months.
About 86 percent of VA’s annual budget is approved a full year in advance. Congress made that change back in 2009 to make sure critical veterans programs -- like hospital operations and health care research -- weren’t disrupted by annual delays to the congressional appropriations process.
But now most major veterans advocates are saying that isn’t enough.
The recent government shutdown did close down several VA hotlines, shutter some regional offices and stop mandatory overtime for claims processors. If advance funding was provided for all VA programs, they argue, no such problems would have occurred.
VA officials have remained publicly ambivalent on the plan. Earlier this month, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki told lawmakers he was focused on getting Congress to pass budgets on time, deflecting questions about the advance appropriations idea.
The White House budget request for VA’s fiscal 2014 budget was $152.7 billion. Congress has not finalized work on that funding plan, even though the new fiscal year began Oct. 1.
Lawmakers argue that the advance funding plan, along with avoiding the partisan budgetary gridlock, would give Congress more oversight on multiyear funding proposals.
Congressional supporters hope the recent shutdown problems will spur colleagues into action on the issue.
By Leo Shane III
Stars and Stripes
Published: October 29, 2013
http://www.stripes.com/lawmakers-push-for-100-percent-advance-funding-for-va-1.249826
Sent from my Honey Badger of an iPhone