House Passes Bill to Protect Veterans Benefits

WASHINGTON — Today, the House passed a supplemental appropriations bill with bipartisan support to avoid a funding shortfall for Veterans Affairs pensions and benefits. This bill provides $3 billion in mandatory funding for VA compensation, pensions, and readjustment benefits.

“There are now a record number of veterans receiving disability or compensation benefits – 6.6 million, up from 6.3 million last year. And the VA is hard at work processing a record number of claims – exceeding 2 million, on pace to break last year’s record by 30 percent. Veterans are also using GI bill and job training benefits at record rates,” Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25) said. “Funding this shortfall will ensure that the VA continues delivering for veterans. However, this bill alone will not address all the pressing funding needs at the VA.”

Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz’s floor remarks as prepared for delivery are here.

“Veterans Affairs is imminently facing a shortfall due to the successful efforts of the Administration to identify and reach veterans across the country who are entitled to these benefits. This is a success story – and we should applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for ensuring America is holding up its promises to our brave veterans,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “I support this bill, but it falls short of what is needed to ensure Veterans exposed to toxic substances receive the care they deserve and require. We must provide an additional $12 billion to ensure there is no interruption for our veterans’ health care.”

Congresswoman DeLauro’s floor remarks as prepared for delivery are here.

The text of the legislation is available here.

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