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R48056 — Department of Veterans Affairs FY2024 Appropriations

Reports · published 2024-05-01 · v2 · Active · crsreports.congress.gov ↗

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Authors
Sidath Viranga Panangala · Jared S. Sussman
Report id
R48056
Summary

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers numerous programs that provide benefits and services to eligible veterans and their families. These benefits include medical care, disability compensation, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), pensions, education, vocational rehabilitation and employment services, assistance to homeless veterans, home loan guarantees, and administration of life insurance, as well as traumatic injury protection insurance for servicemembers and benefits that cover burial expenses. President Biden submitted his budget proposal for FY2024 on March 9, 2023. The Administration requested $319.76 billion for VA (+16.48 billion, or + 5.43% over FY2023). The request included $137.76 billion in discretionary appropriations (+ 3.03 billion, or +2.25% over FY2023) and $182.01 billion in mandatory appropriations (+13.45 billion, or +7.98%). The President’s budget requested $20.27 billion for the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) for FY2024 and $21.46 billion for FY2025. TEF funding is categorized as mandatory funding. On June 3, 2023, the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023 (P.L. 118-5) was enacted into law. This law, among other things, provided funding for TEF. The act provides $20.27 billion, which become available on October 1, 2023, and will remain available until September 30, 2028, and $24.46 billion, which will become available on October 1, 2024, and will remain available until September 30, 2029. On June 13, 2023, the House Appropriations Committee held a full committee markup of its version of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MILCON-VA) appropriations bill for FY2024 (H.R. 4366). The measure (H.Rept. 118-122) was reported on June 27. The House passed its version of the MILCON-VA appropriations bill for FY2024 on July 27. The House-passed measure (H.R. 4366) provided $299.49 billion for VA for FY2024. The House-passed bill provided $137.75 in discretionary appropriations and $161.74 in mandatory appropriations for VA. On June 22, 2023, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a full committee markup of its version of the MILCON-VA appropriations bill for FY2024 and reported the bill to the Senate (S. 2127; S.Rept. 118-43). On November 1, 2023, the Senate passed a consolidated appropriations bill that included three annual appropriations measures (S.Amdt. 1092 to H.R. 4366). Division A of this bill included the MILCON-VA appropriations bill for FY2024. The Senate-passed version of the MILCON-VA appropriations bill provided $296.51 billion for FY2024 for VA. This included $134.77 billion in discretionary funds and $161.74 billion in mandatory funds. After a series of continuing resolutions (P.L. 118-15; P.L. 118-22; P.L. 118-35; P.L. 118-40) that funded some VA accounts at FY2023 levels, on March 3, 2024, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees released a six-bill appropriations package. Division A of the consolidated appropriations bill (H.R. 4366, as amended) included the MILCON-VA appropriations bill for FY2024. Following House and Senate passage on March 6 and 8, respectively, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 (P.L. 118-42) into law on March 9, 2024. Comparative funding levels for FY2023 (P.L. 117-328) and FY2024 (P.L. 118-42) are listed in the table below (component amounts may not sum to totals due to rounding and adjustments due to rescissions). TEF funding for FY2024 funding was provided in P.L. 118-5 and is not reflected in the table totals. FY2023 Enacted (P.L. 117-328)FY2024 RequestHouse (H.R. 4366; H.Rept. 118-122)Senate (Div. A H.R. 4366; S.Rept. 118-43)FY2024 Enacted (P.L. 118-42)% Change FY2024 Enacted vs. FY2023 Enacted Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA, including General Operating Expenses)$167.70 billion$165.96 billion $165.96 billion$165.96 billion$176.72 billion5.38% Veterans Health Administration (VHA)$119.66 billion$121.95 billion$121.95 billion $119.97 billion$120.00 billion0.28% National Cemetery Administration (NCA)$430.0 million$480.0 million$482.0 million $480.0 million $480.0 million 11.63% Departmental Administration $10.58 billion $11.11 billion $11.09 billion $10.09 billion $10.10 billion -4.47% Cost of War Toxic Exposure Fund (TEF) $5.0 billion $20.27 billion — — — N/A Total VA $303.28 billion $319.76 billion $299.49 billion $296.51 billion $307.31billion 1.33% Total Mandatory $168.56 billion $182.01billion $161.74 billion $161.74 billion $172.53 billion 2.36% Total Discretionary $134.73 billion $137.76 billion $137.75 billion $134.77 billion $134.77 billion 0.04%

Bills cited (13)

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