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Jenkins Supports Legislation to Fix Veterans Health Care Budget

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act. The legislation passed by a vote 409-1.
 
“It is so important that our veterans’ hospitals are adequately funded and that they receive a timely and predictable budget each year,” Jenkins said. “In 19 of the past 22 years, Congress has failed to approve VA funding legislation on time, and that has caused major problems in many of our VA hospitals. I was proud to cosponsor this legislation because it will address those problems, and I was glad the House approved it.”

H.R. 1016 would allow Congress to approve advanced appropriations for specific VA health care accounts. Under normal appropriations rules, funds become available at the beginning of each fiscal year for which the appropriations act was passed, but H.R. 1016 would allow Congress to approve funding for one or more fiscal years beyond the current year.

Jenkins continued, “Allowing our VA hospitals to know their funding levels in advance will help them plan for long term expenses, recruit staff, as well as improve equipment and treatment options they provide to our nation’s veterans. This is a common-sense fix to a long-standing problem, and I am hopeful the Senate will consider this legislation and send it to the President soon.”

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