The President's recent budget request for $63.6 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) demonstrates the administration's commitment to this nation's veterans. This fiscal year 2004 budget request for VA represents the greatest percentage increase for any department in government.
The budget proposal -- $30.2 billion in discretionary funding (mostly for health care) and $33.4 billion for VA-administered entitlement programs (mostly disability compensation and pensions) – reinforces VA's commitment to serve the highest priority vets, those with service-connected disabilities, low-income veterans and veterans with special medical needs, such as spinal cord injuries, blindness and amputations. The President's budget will increase the number of these higher priority veterans in VA care by 169,000 in FY 2004.
We expect to treat 4.8 million patients in FY 2004, while continuing to reduce the time veterans must wait to see a doctor. Our goal is to have veterans wait no more than 30 days for a non-emergency, primary care visit.
The budget proposal also builds upon current efforts to reduce the backlog of claims from veterans waiting to receive their well-earned benefits, especially disability compensation and pensions. I expect, by the end of this fiscal year on Oct. 1, that veterans will wait an average of 100 days for a decision on their claims.
The $144 million requested in the budget for VA's national cemeteries will permit the department to fulfill this nation's promise to provide veterans with dignified final resting places in facilities that are, truly, national shrines.
I am excited to join President Bush in presenting this budget proposal. It will enable VA to honor its commitments to the men and women who have served our country in uniform, while growing to meet the needs of tomorrow's veterans.
