Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin on Wednesday defended a controversial plan to expand health-care options for former troops, but the proposed legislation — one of the Trump administration’s top priorities — appeared in danger of being excluded from the budget bill that is close to being finalized.
During a heated Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hearing, Democrats questioned both the compromise — known as the Caring for Our Veterans Act — and a separate VA request that would shift more than half of $4 billion from agency infrastructure spending into what is known as the “Choice” program, offering more private care to veterans at taxpayer expense.
The two issues are different, but what they have in common is at the very core of the recent debate over how and where the Department of Veterans Affairs should spend money.
Congressional Democrats want the money to be used to improve the existing VA hospital system, the largest in the country.
The Democrats have blocked — for now — the Caring for Our Veterans Act, which would offer veterans more access to for-profit health care at taxpayer expense, a noteworthy setback to the administration’s legislative agenda and for one of the president’s core constituencies.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) was concerned about moving more money into the Choice plan because, she said, “it looks like you are diverting funds from the VA — a system that desperately needs it.” Murray noted that the VA has urgent needs, such as improving hospitals with low rankings and helping homeless veterans as well as those facing high rates of suicide.
Shulkin has defended both plans, saying, “This is in no way an attempt to raid money from the VA.”
Later, after more questioning, he said, “Maybe I make nobody happy.” Shulkin added, “We’re trying to balance improving the VA and, at the same time, offering choice to vets. Ultimately, it’s your choice.”
It’s unclear what will become of the Caring for Our Veterans Act, which on Monday appeared to be headed into the budget.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) “put the brakes on the legislation,” according to congressional aides in both parties who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the talks remain sensitive.
Pelosi and other Democrats are concerned that the bill would diminish congressional oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs, that it would go too far in outsourcing care and end up diluting funding to a system riven by scandals and long wait times.
Tucking the Caring for Our Veterans Act into the president’s larger omnibus bill would make it easier to pass. Otherwise, it will probably have to become a separate bill down the road.
Sen. Jon Tester (Mont.), the top Democrat on the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, supports the compromise, which he himself hammered out with Rep. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), chairman of the committee; eight veterans service groups; and the White House.
But Tester was separately worried about how the VA intends to use appropriated dollars for private care. He was alarmed specifically about using more than half the $4 billion negotiated for improving aging VA infrastructure into funding the Choice program, pushing more veterans into the private system.
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) issued a statement Wednesday saying he was “disappointed” that “the Minority in the House would obstruct meaningful legislation to support our nation’s veterans by refusing to include bipartisan reforms to the VA in the FY2018 appropriations omnibus.”
An advocate for veterans familiar with negotiations said the possibility of the Caring for our Veterans Act being included in the omnibus bill is “very slim and continues to diminish.”
But the advocate added, “It’s never over till it’s over.”
To read more:
Veterans health-care bill hits roadblock, jeopardizing one of Trump’s legislative priorities.
Embattled VA secretary says he is trying to stay focused on veterans.
