Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, praised Senate passage of a bipartisan supplemental appropriations bill, the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act, to avoid Veterans Affairs (VA) having to delay providing veteran pensions and benefits. This bill provides $3 billion in mandatory funding for VA compensation, pensions, and readjustment benefits.
“Now that the PACT Act is law, more veterans are getting access to the benefits they have earned and that is a good thing,” said Senator Murray following Senate passage of today’s supplemental appropriations bill. “Congress has a responsibility to fund this requirement and I’m glad to see this done quickly in a bipartisan way with no drama. No veteran should face a delay in receiving the benefits they’ve earned and sending this bill to the President’s desk is a true bipartisan success, but more must be done to ensure we are living up to the promise we make to our veterans. That includes passing full-year funding bills that support our veterans as soon as possible—Congress cannot allow for a government shutdown or a half-year CR. I urge my House Republican colleagues to replicate the bipartisan approach they demonstrated just this week and come to the table and work with the rest of us to pass a responsible, bipartisan continuing resolution so we can all avert a needless and devastating government shutdown.”
Senator Murray also spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the passage of the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act.
Murray’s full remarks ahead of the floor vote, as delivered, are below.
“Today, thanks to the PACT Act, more veterans are getting access to more benefits than ever before, but we need to provide additional funding to make sure we keep all our promises to all our veterans.
“Which is why we have a bill to provide $2.9 billion in additional funding for the Veterans Benefits Administration to pay Compensation and Pension, and Readjustment Benefits.
“This is funding that goes directly to our veterans—and that they have been promised. But without this bill, in less than two weeks’ time—VA will be unable to issue payments to as many as seven million veterans and their survivors, and 800,000 veterans seeking readjustment benefits.
“Our veterans were there for us—we have to be there for them. Congress has a responsibility to ensure these veterans, their family members, and survivors receive the benefits they have earned—on time.
“It’s as simple as that. I hope every single one of my colleagues will join me in standing with our veterans, and vote to get this done.”
###