“House lawmakers passed a $241 billion 2021 budget plan for the Department of Veterans Affairs, making VA the second-largest federal agency by budget, second only to the Pentagon.”
“The House approved the 2021 budget plan in a 224-189 vote July 24. All 181 Republicans present voted against the bill and seven Democrats voted against it.”
“The appropriations bill continues a nearly two-decade streak of significant expansion of VA’s budget. VA is likely one of the only federal agencies that won’t see budget cuts for 2021.”
“Even that plan was nearly double what VA operated with 10 years ago and more than five times what its budget was in fiscal year 2001 when VA operated with about $48 billion…”
“Though the plan nearly matches the total that President Donald Trump requested in his proposal earlier this year, it could still face significant resistance, since it’s coupled with a $10.1 billion military construction funding plan that would block the president from using certain military construction dollars for the southern border wall. The legislation also includes some money to begin renaming military bases honoring the Confederacy, an effort that has prompted veto threats from the White House…” Read the full article here.
Source: House passes $241 billion 2021 Veterans Affairs budget plan — the largest ever – By Abbie Bennett, July 24, 2020. Connecting Vets.
