The President has released his 2015 budget request for VA. The request calls for a 3 percent increase over 2014 in overall discretionary and mandatory spending.
Specifically, the President is asking for $163.9 billion for VA ($68.4 billion for discretionary spending and $95.6 billion for mandatory spending). The budget request also includes $58.7 billion in advance appropriations for VA health care delivery in 2016.
Overall, VetsFirst supports the increased funding request for VA. The growing number of servicemembers returning from the Middle East wartime theatre means increased use of VA benefits and services. More veterans will be eligible for service-connected disability compensation and health care benefits. They will also likely turn to programs like VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program to help them achieve their maximum educational and occupational goals.
VA must be able to meet veterans’ needs. For example, this year VA reports an additional 138,283 disabled veterans are expected to participate in VR&E. We are pleased that this program would receive an additional $4.1 million as it seeks to keep pace with the needs of disabled veterans. We hope that we will see even more investment in programs and services like these which are critical for community reintegration.
Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, is scheduled to appear before Congress this week to present VA’s budget request. VetsFirst will monitor the hearings in Congress on the budget and remain actively engaged with Members of Congress to make sure they know the importance of continuing to fund the programs that help disabled veterans.