Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 9468. This bill will alleviate a shortfall in the Veterans Benefits Administration by providing $3 billion, ensuring veterans receive the benefits that they have rightfully earned. Without this funding, veterans' and survivors' payments to over 500,000 individuals scheduled to be delivered on October 1 will be at risk. This shortfall, unlike what the gentleman just referred to, exists because the PACT Act is working. Ever since it was signed into law, the VA has been hard at work finding veterans in need of care and cutting through the bureaucracy to get them the benefits and medical care that they deserve. There are now a record number of veterans receiving disability or compensation benefits, 6.6 million, up from 6.3 million last year. The VA is hard at work, processing a record number of claims exceeding 2 million, on pace to break last year's record by 30 percent. Veterans are also using the GI Bill and job training benefits at record rates. Funding this shortfall will ensure that the VA continues delivering for veterans. However, this bill alone will not address all the pressing funding needs at the VA. We know that the VA requires more funding to ensure that the PACT Act is fully implemented in the next fiscal year. There is another $12 billion shortfall for FY 2025 in the Veterans Health Administration also due to increasing demands from the PACT Act.…”