Central Louisiana News

On September 20, 2024, U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and 12 Republican colleagues introduced the Protecting Regular Order (PRO) for Veterans Act. This legislation aims to hold the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable for a $3 billion budget shortfall within the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). The bill mandates a three-year requirement for the VA to submit quarterly in-person budget reports to Congress to enhance oversight and financial accountability. Additionally, further financial shortfalls would result in withholding bonuses for senior VA and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) personnel.

"The VA has a massive budget shortfall. The Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) recently hired 10,000 additional employees. Did the VBA not know they needed these employees when they suggested their original budget? Did the VBA blow through its budget hiring employees knowing it would run out of money expecting Congress to automatically cover the difference? How much are the employees being paid? What are they doing?" said Dr. Cassidy. "If a federal agency runs a mid-year massive budget hole, taxpayers should ask these questions."

"Telling Congress we have to provide $3 billion to the VA in a matter of days or our constituents won’t get their benefits—without any accountability or reforms—is a shocking failure in leadership and management," said Senator Sullivan. "It is incumbent upon the Secretary to appear before the committee and answer questions, but remarkably, he declined to do so. This is not a great victory as some are spinning it. The VA has a duty to provide congressional oversight committees with high-quality, in-person briefings explaining these shortfalls in the future—earlier than just a month in advance."

"In light of this budgetary fiasco and the millions of dollars’ worth of bonuses improperly distributed to VA executives, I’ve put forward commonsense legislation to require the VA to abide by a basic level of accountability and oversight," Sullivan continued. "Let me be clear: We will fund this shortfall. Our veterans deserve and rely upon their hard-earned benefits. But going forward, our veterans also expect a much higher standard of accountability from VA leaders."

Cassidy and Sullivan were joined by U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Braun (R-IN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).

For full bill text click here.

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