Government
Congress looks at VA shortfall
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 18, 2005
Lawmakers scrambled late last month to find funding to address a looming health care budget shortfall at the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, but they adjourned before approving a consensus bill that would alleviate the problem.
The House approved a stand-alone measure that would begin to address the shortfall, and the Senate attached additional funding to an unrelated appropriations bill. The two chambers did not agree on which strategy to adopt before departing for the July 4 congressional recess.
Bush administration officials revealed in June that the VA health programs will come up roughly $2.6 billion short next fiscal year unless Congress grants additional funding. The agency said it underestimated costs for returning servicemen from Iraq and Afghanistan and that it already has been forced to shift dollars from other programs to avoid running out of money this year.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/07/18/gvbf0718.htm.
