Va Budget Shortfalls - what else is new

[Boats]

VFW email is reporting the following;

House Hearing on VA's Budget Shortfalls
On Thursday, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a hearing to discuss VA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 budget. Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson testified that the VA faces a $2.6 billion shortfall in its FY 2015 budget that may force the Department to shut down its medical facilities by mid-September. Gibson testified that the shortfalls were due to higher than expected demand for health care at VA medical facilities and through non-VA community providers. Committee members discussed the VA’s use of the Choice Program and how the VA plans to address shortfalls. Chairman Miller committed to working with the House Appropriations Committee to authorize the VA to use funds from the Choice Program to address budget shortfalls. Before the hearing, the VFW joined its Independent Budget partners to call on Congress and the VA to work together in good faith and swiftly find a solution that provides the VA additional funding this fiscal year to meet the needs of veterans seeking care, both from VA and through the VA’s purchased care programs. View a video of the hearing. View the Independent Budget Veterans Service Organizations’ joint statement.