Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, which would provide our Nation's veterans with the benefits that they have duly earned in their selfless service and sacrifice to our Nation.

Veterans Affairs is imminently facing a shortfall. Why? Don't listen to mismanagement and other things. Why? It is because of successful efforts of the administration to identify and reach veterans across the country who are entitled to these benefits.

We signed something called the PACT Act, which says that servicepeople in all wars were going to be able to get medical services if they were exposed to toxic chemicals and to burn pits. That opened up a wide gulf of individuals who were going to take advantage of these medical services.

This is a success story. We should applaud the Biden-Harris administration for ensuring America is holding up its promises to our brave veterans. We shouldn't come kicking and screaming to it. We should applaud doing what we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed that the majority did not work across the aisle on this bill to ensure we are meeting all of our veterans' needs. While I support this bill, it falls short of what is needed to ensure that veterans exposed to toxic substances receive the care they deserve and require.

Two summers ago, again, we enacted that PACT Act. We promised our veterans that they would see the benefits of medical care that they require after exposure to toxic substances with dedicated funding. We need to provide the additional $12 billion. It is not there. This is $12 billion for medical services which they have not included. Medical services for our veterans.

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, we need to provide the additional $12 billion to ensure there is no interruption for our veterans' healthcare, which the majority failed to include in this bill and in their half-year continuing resolution that they are going to bring to the floor tomorrow.

One thing that is unbelievable in that bill coming up tomorrow is they tell the Veterans Administration to spend faster on the medical services, except they put no money in for medical services, so spend faster on zero dollars. It is laughable, but it is very, very serious and detrimental to our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of it.

Mr. MIKE GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I just want to reiterate again, facts are stubborn things. The VA is part of the executive branch. We have a higher demand. We know the PACT Act exists. Let's have the President ask for a commensurate level of money before going to Congress. The PBR, President's budget request, should reflect this higher demand.

This is one of the issues with root cause. That is what we are asking for, not just giving the money to the VA, but getting to the root cause.

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