Committee Supports President's Robust Budget for Veterans' in 2011 – and 2012

Washington, D.C. – House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) released the following statement upon submitting the Committee's Views and Estimates letter to the House Budget Committee:
  
"Over the past four years, the outlook for veterans' funding has changed dramatically.  Understanding that the cost of war includes the cost of the warrior, Democrats in Congress delivered a 55% increase in veterans' spending.  The funding neglect of the past Administration is gone as new challenges to distribute resources efficiently emerge. Unwilling to accept late budgets, Congress passed an advance appropriations process so the Department of Veterans Affairs has access to stable funding to care for the ongoing medical needs of veterans. 

"On February 1, 2010, President Obama submitted the second budget proposal of his Administration, which provides an 8.3% increase for veterans' medical care.  The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs supports the President's historic budget request, recommends targeted additional investment, and commits to meet the needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs' for the coming year.  This budget is the first of its kind.  It provides funding for the coming fiscal year and the following year, allowing VA to plan medical spending in advance and with assurance of funds.  Instead of simply talking about sufficient, timely, and predictable funding for veterans, President Obama delivered and proposed a funding increase for VA medical care for 2012. 

 "America's veterans deserve a 21st Century organization that serves their needs, just as they committed to serving the needs of this great Nation.  I applaud President Obama for providing a  budget proposal that focuses on the issues of homelessness prevention, delivering education benefits, expanding health care access to more veterans, and cleaning up the claims backlog.  The House Committee fully supports the President's $60.3 billion proposal and recommends additional investment in VA infrastructure, oversight, vocational rehabilitation, and research efforts.  Americans demand this and our veterans deserve nothing less."