Filner, Akaka support advance VA funding

[unhappycamper]

Filner, Akaka support advance VA funding
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Feb 12, 2009 13:27:24 EST

The chairmen of the House and Senate veterans affairs committees took a major but far from final step Thursday in fulfilling the top request from veterans’ service organizations: They sponsored legislation that would provide funding a full year in advance for Veterans Affairs Department health care.

Having Bob Filner, D-Calif., and Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, on board does not guarantee the change in the budget process will take place, but it at least ensures the issue will receive high-level attention.

It doesn’t hurt that President Obama said during the presidential campaign that he also supports the idea, which could help VA weather Congress’ near-constant failure to pass an annual budget on time.

The support from Filner and Akaka comes as no surprise. The two chairmen announced in September that they supported the idea, but there was not enough time remaining in the legislative session for their legislation to be considered then.

The idea is to help VA avoid the uncertainty that comes from not having a budget approved on time. In 19 of the past 22 years, Congress failed to approve a VA budget by the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1. On average, the final funding bill is approved three months late.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/military_VA_advancefunding_021209w/%2e