Congress Differs on VA Budget Fix

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson has testified before the Senate that he expects a $1.5-billion shortfall in the fiscal 2005 budget for medical treatment and a shortage of $2.6 billion in fiscal 2006. To correct the problem, the Senate voted unanimously on June 29 for an emergency $1.5 billion supplemental for 2005. The House, however, voted unanimously to appropriate only $975 million. In response, the Senate Appropriations Committee again voted unanimously for the full $1.5 billion. The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) says that the House measure is unacceptable and would force the VA to move more than $500 million from other VA funds in order to provide medical care. This amounts to “robbing veteran Peter to pay veteran Paul,” says MOAA. The budget shortage is ascribed to the VA having underestimated the number of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who would need VA treatment.