VA’s Largest Budget Ever Heads to House Lawmakers for a Vote


The House Appropriations subcommittee members unanimously approved a draft $250.9 billion VA budget plan for 2021 this week, after which it was sent to the House floor for a vote. If approved, it will be the second-largest federal agency budget, second only to the Pentagon.

According to an article published by ConnectingVets.com, “The new proposal continues a nearly two-decade streak of significant expansion of VA’s budget, going even further than the president’s original budget request released in February, which outlined a plan for a $243.3 billion budget. VA is likely one of the only federal agencies that won’t see budget cuts for 2021. Even that plan was nearly double what VA operated with 10 years ago and more than five times what its budget was in fiscal year 2001 when VA operated with $45 billion. VA’s budget has consistently increased since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The president’s budget ask for 2021 included a $12.9 billion increase, or about 10.2 percent more than 2020. ”

From the proposed $250.9 billion budget, $3.2 billion will be allocated to the Veterans Benefits Administration’s operating expenses of which $62 million will be focused on minimizing the backlog of disability claims.

Relevant Pages: Veterans Disability