House Republicans rolled out an emergency funding plan Friday to address a roughly $3 billion budget shortfall facing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, was joined by other members on the committee and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chair Mike Bost (R-Ill.) in unveiling the bill, dubbed the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act.
“My bill is focused on both ensuring our veterans receive the care they’ve earned and demanding accountability from those in charge,” Garcia said in a statement Friday. “We need to fix what’s broken, not just fund it, and make sure our heroes are never left behind by the failures of this administration.”
His comments come as the VA has faced increased scrutiny, particularly from Republicans, as officials warn millions of veterans’ benefits are at risk in the coming weeks.
The VA is calling on Congress to provide about $3 billion in mandatory benefits funds for fiscal 2024, as well as roughly $12 billion more than what the administration requested in fiscal 2025 for medical care.