Veterans are expected to receive their benefits checks as scheduled on Oct. 1, following the signing of a $3 billion Department of Veterans Affairs supplemental funding bill by President Joe Biden on Sept. 20.
VA told Congress in July that the shortfall was due to the accelerated implementation of the PACT Act, which provides VA health care and benefits to veterans of all eras who were exposed to toxins as a result of their service.
However, Republican lawmakers blamed the shortfall on the mismanagement of funds and pressed for more information about the VA’s budget. Republican Sen.Dan Sullivan of Alaska has introduced the Protecting Regular Order for Veterans or PRO Act, which would mandate the VA to provide Congress with quarterly budget updates for the next three years.
“We’re going to get this money done. We’ll get it. We want to make sure our veterans have their benefits,” he said on the Senate floor. “But in exchange, we’re asking, ‘Hey, what’s going on over at the VA?’ I mean, we see this all the time.”
Bonuses would be withheld for senior VA and Office of Management and Budget officials if VA faces additional budget shortfalls under the PRO Act.
In a tweet on Thursday following the Senate’s passage of the supplemental funding bill, VA Secretary Denis McDonough said the supplemental funding would go directly to cover benefit payments.
“We’re delivering more benefits to more of these heroes than ever before, and now, we can continue to do that without any interruption or delay,” he added.
Had the legislation not been passed, benefits due to 7 million veterans on Oct. 1 could have been delayed.
The Senate’s passage of the bill was lauded by Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calf.) who led the effort in the House.
“We should have zero gaps or zero lapses in coverage,” Garcia said in a tweet.
The supplemental funding bill does not include $12 billion in medical funding the VA has requested in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
