Political Quotes

“amendment No. 1154 is on community care funding within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA has estimated that it needs $13.4 billion for medical care. This bill provides $14.4 billion in care, but it currently limits how much money can be spent within that care for community care. So we generally have all the care within the VA, but sometimes people are referred out to the community, sometimes there is telehealth, and sometimes the care actually occurs in a VA facility. This would eliminate that cap of $4.4 billion and replace it with spending up to $5 billion on community care, the amount that it is expected the VA will need. Again, this amendment removes this arbitrary funding barrier, and it also includes additional dollars for maintenance at our VA medical centers. I retain the balance of my time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana.”