Burr Cosponsors Advanced Appropriations Bill

Press Release

Burr Cosponsors Advanced Appropriations Bill

Legislation secures timely funding for veterans

Senator Burr talking to members of The American Legion at their annual Legislative Presentation to the Veterans' Affairs Committee on September 11, 2008.
U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), the Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, joined with the Committee Chairman, Senator Daniel Akaka yesterday to be an original cosponsor of the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 (S. 423). The bill calls for the advanced funding of critical services to veterans, which currently are subject to constant delays by Congress.

"Too often, funding for veterans' health care is held hostage in order to increase spending on programs that have nothing to do with veterans' services," Burr said. "This political gamesmanship is wrong, and I believe we must fix the current budget process, which continues to jeopardize funding for the care of veterans."

The Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and transparency Act would fund the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in two-year cycles through advance appropriations. This would give the agency the ability to plan its budget one-year ahead of the regular federal funding process. Currently, VHA's budget is subject to delay, which hinders its ability to plan its budgets and provide care to our veterans.

"This bill has broad support in the veterans' community. By giving VA the ability to better plan its budget, it will be able to provide better and more timely care that our veterans need and deserve," Burr added.

The bill is supported by The Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform, which is a group of nine veteran service organizations, including: The American Legion, AMVETS (American Veterans), BVA (Blinded Veterans Association), DAV (Disabled American Veterans), Jewish War Veterans of the USA, PVA (Paralyzed Veterans of America), VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States), and VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc.), and Military Order of the Purple Heart of the USA, Inc.

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