Benton Times

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 9468, the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024, a bill cosponsored by Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3). This legislation aims to address a significant funding shortfall in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and ensure continued support for veterans' benefits.

Congressman Womack stated, “Our nation’s veterans deserve and rely on resources from the VA budget. The Biden-Harris administration’s $15 billion shortfall is utterly unacceptable. By passing the VA supplemental bill, Congress stepped up for millions of veterans where the administration fell woefully short. Not only does this legislation fully fund the VA’s request, but it also ensures our heroes are never neglected by these failures again.”

The funding gap arose due to the VA's failure to properly budget for enrollment growth and staffing costs. The House Appropriations Committee was alerted to this potential shortfall in July, four months after the Biden-Harris administration submitted its Budget Request. Updated projections from the VA indicated a need for approximately $15 billion more than initially requested: $3 billion for Compensation and Pensions and Readjustment Benefits for FY24, and an additional $12 billion for VA medical care in FY25.

Without Congressional intervention before September 20, this deficit would have left the Veterans Benefits Administration unable to process benefits payments scheduled for October 1st.

H.R. 9468 addresses the $3 billion shortfall in mandatory funding without impacting the overall budget, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. The bill also mandates that a report be submitted to Congress within 30 days after enactment detailing why these budgetary errors occurred and how they will be addressed moving forward.