In a 27-0 vote, the Senate Appropriations Committee has unanimously approved the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations Bill. This critical legislation allocates substantial funding to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs and related agencies can continue to support our nation's veterans and their families.

The Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations Act provides $129.57 billion in non-defense discretionary funding and $210.41 billion in mandatory funding to fulfill our nation's obligations to veterans. Additionally, the bill ensures future support with advance appropriations for FY 2026, including $131.44 billion for veterans’ medical care and $222.23 billion for veterans' benefits. It also includes $19.31 billion in defense spending for military construction and family housing for FY 2025.

Key allocations in the bill include $878 million for medical and prosthetics research, which is $10 million more than the President’s budget request. This funding supports ongoing and new research in areas such as traumatic brain injury and precision oncology and is augmented by additional funding for research into toxic exposures in the Toxic Exposures Fund. The bill also strengthens VA’s infrastructure by providing $2.45 billion for major and minor construction projects, $796 million over the fiscal year 2024, and $307 million for construction from the Recurring Expenses Transformation Fund. Additionally, the bill allocates $150 million for the construction of state extended care facilities, $9 million over the President’s budget request, and $65 million for the construction of state, territory, and Tribal veterans cemeteries—$5 million over the President’s budget request.

The bill includes $6.3 billion for information technology systems, in addition to funding previously provided through the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund to support PACT Act rollout. Furthermore, it provides $894 million in funding for the Electronic Health Record Modernization effort, prioritizing improvements at the sites currently using the new system before deploying it to other facilities.

The Fiscal Responsibility Act provided full funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund for fiscal year 2025, ensuring comprehensive support for veterans affected by toxic exposures.

This bill marks a significant step forward in fulfilling our commitments to veterans and ensuring the wellbeing of servicemembers and their families. NAVREF applauds the Committee’s unanimous decision and looks forward to the continued support and advocacy for our nation’s heroes.

The House Appropriations Committee has released its FY25 markup, detailing significant funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The proposed budget reflects a commitment to enhancing veterans' services and medical care.

Total Funding

The Department of Veterans Affairs is set to receive $337.4 billion for FY25. This amount exceeds the FY25 Budget Request by $75.5 million and is $30.2 billion above the FY24 enacted level. 

Veterans’ Medical Care

A total of $112.6 billion is allocated for veterans' medical care, fully aligning with the FY25 Budget Request. This funding ensures that veterans continue to receive comprehensive medical services, including both routine care and specialized treatments.

Veterans’ Benefits and Toxic Exposures-Related Needs

The markup includes full funding for veterans’ benefits and addresses toxic exposures-related needs for FY25. This includes:

- Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF): $22.8 billion in advance funding is dedicated to the TEF. This fund is crucial for addressing the health impacts associated with veterans' exposure to toxic substances during their service.

Medical and Prosthetic Research

The budget allocates $923.5 million for medical and prosthetic research and development, as authorized by chapter 73 of title 38, United States Code. This funding is available until September 30, 2026, and includes provisions to ensure:

• Sufficient amounts are allocated for prosthetic research specifically for female veterans.
• Adequate funding is directed toward toxic exposure research.

Stay tuned for more updates as the FY25 budget progresses through the legislative process.

We are thrilled to announce a significant milestone in our advocacy efforts! The Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA), the coalition we proudly chair, has garnered significant support from the House of Representatives for the Fiscal Year 2025 VA Medical and Prosthetic Research Program.

In collaboration with the House, FOVA has successfully secured 83 signatures on our Dear Colleague letter advocating for robust funding of $1.05 billion for the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research Program. This funding is crucial in advancing the health and well-being of our nation's veterans.

We invite you to read the full text of our Dear Colleague letter here.

The House has passed a $1.2 trillion government funding bill, consisting of six funding bills (Defense, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Labor-HHS-Education, Legislative Branch and State-Foreign Operations), in a 286-134 vote. The Senate is expected to swiftly approve it before the deadline to avoid a funding lapse. President Biden intends to sign the bill, marking the conclusion of the fiscal 2024 appropriations process in the House!

The Senate voted 63-35 to advance a $460 billion spending package, preventing a potential government shutdown. The package covers six spending bills, securing funding for military construction, water development, and key departments like Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Justice.

As the bills approach President Biden's desk, attention turns to passing the remaining appropriations bills, highlighting the Senate's dedication to timely fiscal decisions by the March 22 deadline.

In the recent release of the first FY 2024 appropriations package, VA medical and prosthetics research funding reached $943 million, an increase of $27 million from FY 2023. While this marks a positive step in supporting crucial research areas like traumatic brain injury and precision oncology, it falls short of the FOVA coalition's request for $980 million. Despite this setback, the FOVA coalition, chaired by NAVREF, remains steadfast in its commitment to advocate for increased appropriations for VA research programs. The additional funding for toxic exposures research emphasizes the government's recognition of health challenges faced by veterans, depicting the ongoing need for sustained advocacy to ensure robust support for vital research initiatives.

Today, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a short-term spending bill, paving the way for the finalization of fiscal 2024 appropriations. The measure is now poised for consideration in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) has indicated that the Senate could pass the bill as early as later today.

The approved short-term spending bill sets the stage for the first tranche of spending bills, which are scheduled for a House vote next Wednesday. This initial set includes critical measures such as Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy-Water, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD.

To avert a potential partial government shutdown, lawmakers have set a deadline of March 22 for the consideration of the second batch of bills. This subsequent package encompasses the Defense, Financial Services, Legislative Branch, Homeland Security, Labor-HHS-Education, and State-Foreign Operations measures.

Amidst these developments, it is noteworthy that House VA Committee Ranking Member Rep. Takano has recently corresponded to Secretary McDonough addressing concerns related to the Section 208 issue. As this matter unfolds, NAVREF remains committed to keeping you informed on the latest developments.

Today, the Friends of VA Research (FOVA) Executive Committee (of which NAVREF is the Chair) submitted a letter to the HVAC and SVAC leadership calling for a one-year delay in VA’s implementation regarding a new interpretation of 18 USC Section 208.

We are deeply concerned that this new interpretation will create additional disincentives and barriers for our nation’s leading scientists and experts to pursue research activities at the VA, further shutting out our nation’s Veterans from clinical trial opportunities that can save lives.

Read our letter here.

On Thursday, the Senate approved a two-step stopgap measure to extend government funding into March. The Senate's midday vote resulted in a 77-18 majority, followed by a 314-108 approval in the House during the afternoon. This latest continuing resolution extends the funding deadline for various departments, including Agriculture, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, and the Food and Drug Administration, to March 1. Additionally, it moves the funding deadline for other government agencies, such as Defense, Labor, and Education, from Feb. 2 to March 8.

Washington, D.C – The Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA), a coalition representing over 80 national academic, medical, and scientific societies, is calling on Congress for support in securing a $980 million allocation for the Department of Veterans Affairs' Medical and Prosthetic Research Program in FY24.

In a recently submitted letter, FOVA commends Congress for its commitment to advancing the health and well-being of our nation's veterans through robust funding for VA research. The coalition specifically highlights the proposed $938 million allocation for the program in FY 2024, acknowledging its potential to address the evolving challenges faced by veterans.

However, FOVA is looking toward the future, urging Congress to direct at least $980 million for the VA research program. This proposed increase of $64 million (7%) over the FY 2023 funding level reflects FOVA's dedication to sustaining the trajectory of growth and possibility for the VA research program.

In addition to funding for research, FOVA emphasizes the need for continued investment in physical and information technology infrastructure. Allocating at least $100 million for major and minor construction, along with at least $22 million for the Office of Information and Technology, will ensure that the VA research program operates at its full potential.

FOVA extends its gratitude to Congress for its continued commitment to the health and well-being of our veterans. The coalition looks forward to ongoing collaboration and support to make a lasting impact on the lives of those who have served our nation.

For media inquiries please contact:

Elizabeth Stout

estout@navref.org

About FOVA:

The Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA) is a coalition comprised of more than 80 national academic, medical, and scientific societies, voluntary health and patient advocacy groups, as well as veteran-focused associations. FOVA is dedicated to advocating for robust funding and support for the Department of Veterans Affairs' Medical and Prosthetic Research Program.