Congress is considering ‘The Putting Veterans Funding First Act of 2013’ (HR 813). This bill would fulfill our nation’s promise to help veterans readjust back into civilian life. The bill would do so by ensuring that VA services aren’t affected by Washington’s partisan budget wrangling, and that the care and benefits veterans have earned are delivered them with timeliness and predictability.
The Putting Veterans Funding First Act would require Congress to fully fund the Department of Veterans Affairs’ discretionary budget a year ahead of schedule, ensuring that all VA services will have timely, predictable funding in an era where continuing resolutions and threats of government shutdowns are all too frequent.
Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs sponsored the bill. Miller wrote that, “If there is one thing people in Washington and across America agree on, it’s that we should never let funding for veterans become a casualty of Washington gridlock.”
“America’s veterans should not be held responsible for Washington’s inability to reach an agreement on how to cut spending. Our veterans were there for us when we needed them the most, and the Putting Veterans Funding First Act of 2013 will ensure they have our support during their time of need,” added Miller.
According to the announcement posted on the House Veterans Affairs Committee website, the bill would ensure that all VA services have timely, predictable funding in an era where sequesters, continuing resolutions and threats of government shutdowns are all too frequent.
If passed, bill will make it easier for VA to plan for key investments in information technology, claims processing and construction projects and it would grant Congress greater oversight on multi-year funding proposals, with one year building off of the next.
Read the full HVAC press release.
Let your elected officials know how you feel about fully funding VA.
