VA Health Care Funding Reform - Success!

The House of Representatives passed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act (H.R. 1016) by a vote of 419-1on October 8, 2009, and the Senate gave overwhelming approval to H.R. 1016 by voice vote October 14, 2009.  Speaker of the House Pelosi signed off and passed the bill to the President for enactment.

On October 22, 2009, President Obama signed the bill into law.  This will provide our nation’s veterans with the quality health care they deserve.  

VA hospitals and care facilities will now have predictable and sufficient funds to recruit and hire more health care professionals, train support staffs, and purchase medical supplies. VA can now plan for the future. 

We are thrilled that VA will now receive a sufficient, timely, and predictable veterans’ health care budget with the protection of congressional oversight and control of the VA budget.  This is the same process Congress uses to fund public housing and public radio programs. 

Thank you to everyone who signed our petition and made your voice heard.  This is a great victory for our country's veterans.

White Papers:

Perspective on Budget Initiative – Why Funding Assurance
Arthur Klein – June 12, 2007

Brief Commentary on the Budgetary Process and Formulation Methodology
Arthur Klein – June 15, 2007

Veterans’ Health Care Assured Funding Project: The Case for an Advance Appropriation
Jefferson Consulting Group – June 29, 2007

Assuring Adequate Funding for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health:  Mandatory /Entitlement Options
Jefferson Consulting Group – July 11, 2007

VA Health Care Projection Model – Estimating Veterans Demand in a Dynamic Environment
Arthur Klein – September 13, 2007