The Veterans Project.org

The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs wants President Barack Obama to approve another $800 million for the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover operating expenses and to ensure health care funding doesn’t dry up.

Obama’s proposed 2010 budget for the VA calls for a total budget of $113 billion, a $15 billion increase above 2009 levels. The request includes $52.5 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of $4.9 billion from 2009, or 10.3 percent. The bulk of discretionary spending goes to VA medical care.

The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs said Friday, however, that another $600 million is needed to fund medical expenses and an additional $200 million to offset operating costs, which includes claims processing.

The committee said its request for $600 million to cover health care funding does not truly represent an increase in overall spending. Rather, it’s a budget revision because the committee does not accept a proposal by the Obama administration that it will successfully raise $3.4 billion in 2010 by billing private medical insurance companies to cover part of the cost of treating veterans in VA facilities.

Committee Chairman Bob Filner, D-CA, said Obama’s budget proposal “marks the first time any president has submitted a budget that exceeds the recommendations of the Independent Budget.

“The budget forecast calls for a $25 billion increase over the next five years,” Filner said. “Although we understand these numbers are not binding on future years, and the levels are lower than the amounts that will be needed, we applaud this move toward presenting a more honest and accurate look at our financial picture.”

Earlier this week, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki presented an overview of the VA’s 2010 budget.  He highlighted specific budget proposals necessary to transform VA into a 21st century organization and provided updates on current projects, including on-time implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and re-engineering the Veterans Benefits Administration into a paperless system.  The Secretary discussed expanding eligibility for VA health care to non-disabled veterans earning modest incomes, while ensuring high quality access and care will continue for veterans currently in the VA health care system.        

“I applaud the Administration’s commitment to high priority areas of interest, which are shared by this Committee, including caring for our returning service members, improving the VA’s ability to provide mental heath care and services, addressing homelessness among veterans, and not forgetting the veterans of previous generations,” Filner said. “It is refreshing to receive a budget proposal that focuses on the issues of homelessness prevention, increasing education benefits, expanding health care access to more veterans, and cleaning up the claims backlog.”

The House Budget Committee will take up the additional funding request in the weeks ahead.