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Proposes $540 Million to Fill Administration’s Budget Shortfall

For more information, contact: Brian Lawrence, (202) 225-3527

Washington, D.C. – House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Steve Buyer issued the following statement on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 budget resolution currently being considered on the floor of the House:

“The Republican alternative for Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Resolution would provide $106.4 billion for veterans’ healthcare and programs, which is $540 million above the Administration’s request.

This budget alternative reflects the priorities my Committee colleagues and I outlined in our Views and Estimates for Fiscal Year 2010.  These include: ensuring a seamless transition from military to civilian life; providing innovative programs to help veterans gain job skills and meaningful careers; ensuring our veterans continue to receive world class VA health care; and ensuring that VA benefits claims are adjudicated in a timely and accurate manner.

I support the increase of the President’s budget requests for VA, but Congress will have to add over half a billion dollars in additional funding for veterans’ health care because the budget request overestimates collections from third-party billing.  It is now confirmed that the Administration was planning to bill veterans’ private health insurance companies for treatment of their service connected injuries at VA health care facilities. 

This outrageous proposal was soundly rejected in our Views and Estimates, as well as in the March 18th letter to the President signed by all Republican members of the House leadership and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.  But for the fierce opposition he faced on this issue, the President clearly would have moved forward with his plan.  I am pleased that the ill-considered idea was finally abandoned, and our proposed alternative recommends at least a $540 million increase in the budget to offset the budget gap.

The overall Democrat budget is not good for Americans, including veterans.  Their budget contains a $1.5 trillion tax hike.  This includes tax hikes on veterans and their families, and veterans who own small businesses. 

It is unfortunate that the majority party continues to try to pass the largest tax hike in American history.  This is the wrong message to send to our veterans and their families when our country is in a recession.

I urge my colleagues to adopt our alternative plan which will provide a solid network of support for our nation’s veterans and their families.”

For more news from House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Minority Office, please go to: 

http://republicans.veterans.house.gov/  

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