Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. R. 1016--To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide new discretionary budget authority for certain medical care accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill would ensure sufficient, timely, and predictable veterans funding so that the Department of Veterans Affairs would have the Federal funding to better serve veterans' medical needs and improve health care services. This is a very timely and important measure as many of our troops today are returning home in need of accessible and adequate health care services. Therefore, I strongly commend my colleague Bob Filner for bringing this measure before the floor.
This bill provides for a new two-fiscal-year discretionary budget authority for three critical accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs: medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities. Accordingly, this measure will give the Department of Veterans Affairs sufficient time to effectively plan how it will deliver the best care to a growing number of veterans with increasingly complex medical conditions. And to ensure that the funds are being used appropriately, H.R. 1016 requires the United States Comptroller General to conduct a study to determine the adequacy and accuracy of the department's budget model projections.
My military constituents often turn to me for support in confronting the many challenges they face when working with the Department of Veterans Affairs. We have come to understand, that many of the challenges in efficient health care services are attributable to the Department of Veterans Affairs' inadequate funding. Over the last two decades, the appropriated funds for medical care have not been provided to the Department of Veterans Affairs in a timely manner. This has resulted in the department's problems in planning and managing care for enrolled veterans. Accordingly, this bill addresses this budgetary problem and allows for advance appropriations to ensure the department has the Federal backing to effectively address the medical needs of our Nation's veterans.
As a vocal advocate for veterans' rights, I am pleased to add my voice of support for H.R. 1016. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that we continue to provide the necessary resources towards improving our Department of Veterans Affairs' health care programs and administrative services.