“Ahead of the Biden administration’s rollout of its fiscal 2022 federal budget, veterans advocates are calling for an $11 billion increase in the Department of Veterans Affairs budget to address what they view as shortfalls in health care and benefits services.”
“Three organizations — Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars — released their annual VA “independent budget” Monday, an assessment of veterans’ needs heading into the fiscal 2022 congressional budget deliberations process.”
“The report is an “attempt to produce an honest assessment of need” not subject to the “politics of federal budget development and negotiations that inevitably have led to continuous funding deficits,” the authors wrote.”
“‘We understand that VA has fared better than most federal agencies in budget proposals and appropriations, but the real measure should be how well the funding matches the demand for veterans’ benefits and services,’ they said.”
“The report, usually released around the same time as the presidential budget proposal, is used as a tool by members of Congress and staff to assess veterans’ needs and perceived issues with VA benefits, including health care.”
“This year, with the president’s budget delayed as President Joe Biden builds his cabinet and administration, authors hope the document will steer the conversation on policy issues important to veterans…” Read the full article here.
Source: The VA’s Budget Has Quintupled in 20 Years. Veterans Groups Want Billions More – By Patricia Kime, February 1, 2021. Military.com.
