NW Riverside News

Today, the House of Representatives passed the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act, H.R. 9468, to ensure veterans' benefits remain uninterrupted and hold the Biden Administration accountable for budgeting errors. Representative Calvert was an original cosponsor of the legislation.

“Today, the House upheld its commitment to our veterans by ensuring they continue to receive the benefits they have earned,” said Rep. Calvert. “It’s critical the VA take the necessary steps to avoid this situation in the future. I hope this legislation is quickly approved by the Senate and signed into law by the President to relieve any concerns our veterans may have about receiving their benefits.”

The bill is supported by several veteran advocacy organizations, including The American Legion, Amvets, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Jewish War Veterans, Concerned Veterans for America, The Independence Fund, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Wounded Warrior Project.

The Department of Veteran Affairs’ (VA) failure to properly budget and account for enrollment growth and staffing costs resulted in a funding shortfall in veteran benefits for Fiscal Year 2024 and into Fiscal Year 2025.

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 markup of FY25 legislation in both chambers of Congress. The VA’s updated projections indicated a need for approximately $15 billion above what was originally requested: $3 billion for Compensation and Pensions and Readjustment Benefits (mandatory funding) for FY24 and $12 billion for VA medical care (discretionary funding) for FY25.

The Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act addresses the $3 billion shortfall in mandatory funding without net budget effects according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. The bill also includes provisions requiring a report to Congress within 30 days after enactment detailing why these budgetary errors occurred and how the VA plans to address its projection inaccuracies along with recurring reports on fund status moving forward.