On Feb. 2, President Barack Obama released his proposed fiscal year (FY) 2016 federal budget.
On Feb. 2, President Barack Obama released his proposed fiscal year (FY) 2016 federal budget. Presented below is a brief outline of funding levels in a number of accounts in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Medical care: For the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1, the discretionary funding for VA medical programs would be set at $63.2 billion, an increase of $4.2 billion over the current year. In addition, a total of $66.6 billion in advance appropriations for FY 2017 was proposed. Included in the medical care programs are: $7.5 billion to expand institutional and non-institutional long-term care for veterans; $7.5 billion to expand veteran inpatient, residential and outpatient mental health care; $1.2 billion for telehealth programs to improve veterans access to VA health care; and $466 million for programs specifically aimed at women veterans.
Information technology (IT): The president’s proposal would assign $4.1 billion for VA’s IT programs, an increase of $230 million. This includes cyber security and supports delivery of veterans medical care and benefits. It also includes $233 million aimed at developing an Electronic Healthcare Record to better serve veterans, servicemembers and eligible beneficiaries.
National Cemetery Administration (NCA): The NCA would receive $266 million for its operations and maintainence, a $10 million increase over FY 2015. This funding supports the activation of two new national cemeteries in 2015 in Cape Canaveral, Fla., and Tallahassee, Fla., as well as the activation of a third national cemetery next year in Omaha, Neb.
Veteran homelessness: The FY 2016 budget requests $1.4 billion for VA homeless-related programs, including case management support for the Department of Housing & Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, the Grant and Per Diem program, VA justice programs, and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program.
Benefits claims processing: The president’s budget proposal would fund the Veterans Benefits Administration at $2.7 billion. This amount supports various VA programs to decrease the benefits claims backlog, including the hiring of 770 additional claims processing and fiduciary examiners.
Construction grants: These programs – aimed to support construction of state veterans homes and state veterans cemeteries – would receive $1.6 billion under the administration’s proposal. The American Legion has sought increased funding for these two programs, which have essentially been flatlined for a number of years.
President signs Clay Hunt SAV Act
On Feb. 12, the president signed into law H.R. 203, the Clay Hunt SAV (Suicide Prevention for America’s Veterans) Act. The bill unanimously passed the House by a recorded vote of 403-0 and was approved by the Senate 99-0. The measure requires the Pentagon and VA to make information on suicide prevention more easily available to veterans. It also would offer financial incentives to psychiatrists and other mental health professionals who agree to work for the VA and help military members as they transition from active duty to veteran status.
- Dispatch