Blackburn, Sullivan, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Hold VA Accountable for Financial Shortfall

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) joined Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and 12 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Protecting Regular Order (PRO) for Veterans Act to hold the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable for the Veterans Benefits Administration's (VBA) nearly $3 billion budget shortfall and the $12 billion projected shortfall in Fiscal Year 2025 for VA medical care.

Last week during a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing, Senator Blackburn questioned the VA's Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs and Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal on the VA's gross mismanagement of federal funds.

"The VA's budget shortfall that put millions of veterans' benefits at risk is only the agency's latest failure to responsibly manage federal funds under the Biden-Harris administration's leadership, and it proves the VA needs to be subject to greater accountability and oversight," said Senator Blackburn. "This legislation would require the VA to provide regular, in-person budget reports to Congress to ensure they are properly managing taxpayer dollars."

PROTECTING REGULAR ORDER FOR VETERANS ACT:

• This legislation would institute a three-year requirement for the VA to submit quarterly in-person budget reports to Congress to give federal legislators the opportunity to ask questions and strengthen oversight and accountability of the VA.

• Earlier this year, a watchdog report found that the VA improperly awarded $10.8 million in bonuses to senior executives at its central office.

• If there are VA budget shortfalls outside of regular order, this legislation would restrict bonuses for Senior Executive Service (SES) employees in the VA's central office as well as employees at the Office of Management and Budget.

CO-SPONSORS:

• This legislation is also co-sponsored by Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

RELATED:

• Blackburn, Moran, Boozman Introduce Legislation to Restrict Bonuses to Senior Executives at VA
• Blackburn Leads Letter to Hold VA Accountable for Misusing Taxpayer Dollars
• Blackburn To Biden's VA: Putting Illegal Immigrants Above America's Veterans Is Unacceptable

Click here for bill text.

https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2024/9/blackburn-sullivan-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-hold-va-accountable-for-financial-shortfall