Lawmakers are urgently working to pass emergency legislation to address a $3 billion budget shortfall in the Department of Veterans Affairs VA, with veterans’ and survivors’ benefits at risk if action is not taken soon.
The House passed the legislation with bipartisan support, and the Senate is expected to move quickly to pass the bill.
The shortfall is largely attributed to the implementation of the PACT Act, which expanded benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances like burn pits.
The VA has seen a surge in enrollment and benefits applications, with over 340,000 veterans now receiving PACT-related benefits, including 60,000 with cancer.
The bill includes $2.9 billion in additional funding for the VA, with $2.3 billion directed toward compensation and pensions, and $597 million for readjustment benefits.
Lawmakers on both sides are pushing to fast-track the bill, but there has been scrutiny over the VA’s financial management and budgeting practices.
Some conservatives, including Sen. Rand Paul, have expressed concerns about the VA’s spending, citing potential over-enrollment in benefits programs.
Paul is advocating for an amendment to offset the costs of the bill before agreeing to expedite its passage.
Lawmakers remain hopeful that the bill will pass before veterans’ benefits are impacted.