Hr 2254

[vet4800]

I received a press release stating Mr Filner (D-CA) has reintroduced the HR 2254 bill. It is dated May 8, 2009. Is this true? Is there a chance this might go through this year?

[akwidow]

I got one from Don Young R-AK about H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act. He says:

"I am grateful for the service of

America's veterans and support them in any way that I can. I appreciate

hearing from you on this important issue.

H.R. 1016 would allow Congress to pass advanced appropriations for the

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Advanced appropriations are

necessary for the VA to have sufficient time to plan and evaluate the

upcoming year's budget. This bill would provide funding for the VA a

year in advance, allowing VA hospitals and other VA facilities to better

prepare for the upcoming year and better provide care to our veterans.

For this reason, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1016. In the past, I have

signed several letters to the House and Senate leadership urging them to

pass this bill as quickly as possible. Quick action is needed because

the President and Congress have been unable to pass the VA budget on

time once in the past ten years, costing veterans hundreds of millions

of dollars in funding and putting unnecessary burdens on the VA system.

Even when the budget was passed on time, however, it still did not

provide the necessary time for the VA leadership to properly plan how to

use that funding. This bill will alleviate many of the burdens put on

the VA by the short time line they are given to work with, allowing them

to provide more efficient care and better use of taxpayer's dollars."

hmmm.

No politics here, just concurrent news.