Largest Increase in Veterans Funding in History
The New Direction Congress included the largest single increase in veterans' funding in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration in the fiscal year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, H.R. 2764. The bill was signed into law on December 26, 2007.
The bill included veterans’ funding that was $6.7 billion over 2007 and $3.7 billion over the President’s request.
After years of neglect of our veterans in Washington, this large increase was designed to ensure that our veterans begin to have the resources and benefits that they have earned. This largest increase in veterans’ funding is being used for:
- Strengthening quality health care for 5.8 million patients and earned benefits for all veterans.
- Focusing quality care on the 325,000 veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.
- Reducing the 400,000 claims backlog and the 177-day average wait for veterans to access earned benefits by adding 3,100 new claims processors.
- Providing much-needed maintenance of VA health care facilities.
This historic increase won widespread support and praise from America’s leading veterans’ organizations, including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Officers Association of America, Paralyzed Veterans of America, AMVETS, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, National Association for Uniformed Services, Disabled American Veterans, and other major veterans’ groups who hailed this historic legislation as a “major victory” and an “impressive commitment” to our veterans.