Newsbytes September 20, 2024
In this Issue:
House Passes VA Funding
House CR Vote Fails
HVAC Hearing on VA Accountability
Navy Recruiting Challenges
National POW/MIA Recognition Day
House Passes VA Funding
The House passed legislation (H.R. 9468), sponsored by Rep. Mike Garcia (Calif.), which would provide $3 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs to keep it operating for the remainder of the current fiscal year. The measure was approved by voice vote. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (La.) said, "Preventing any potential lapse in our veterans' benefits remains a top priority for Congress. Our veterans earned these benefits through their unwavering service and sacrifice, and they should never be jeopardized because of this Administration’s negligence." Rep. Mike Garcia said, “Thankfully, the House came together in a rare moment of bipartisanship to pass my bill that prevents this disaster and demands accountability with real oversight to ensure every dollar is spent properly.” The legislation now heads to the Senate for immediate consideration ahead of Friday, September 20th, to ensure the timely delivery of reliable benefits for veterans and their families. The bill has been agreed upon by key legislators in both the House and Senate and is expected to pass the Senate easily.
The FRA thanks its members for contacting their legislators through the FRA Action Center on this critical funding issue. Your efforts helped move this bill forward.
House CR Vote Fails
As predicted in last week’s Newsbytes, House Speaker Mike Johnson (La.) proposed a Continuing Resolution (CR-HR 9494) to keep the government operating at current levels until March 28, 2025. The measure includes the “SAVE Act” (H.R. 8281), which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. The bill also provides $10 billion in emergency funding for disaster relief and nearly $2 billion for the Navy’s Virginia-class submarines. The measure failed to receive enough votes for passage (202-220). It is expected that the House will pass a “clean” CR to keep the government operating at current spending levels past September 30 and through December 13, 2024, to avoid a government shutdown.
HVAC Hearing on VA Accountability
The House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) held an oversight hearing to discuss whether Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) leaders have fully addressed misconduct, both substantiated and alleged, to ensure that veterans are served by a safe, productive, and prosperous VA.
The Committee also discussed how VA leaders have, to date, addressed issues that include: (1) patient safety concerns stemming from alleged or substantiated misconduct at VA medical centers, including the Rocky Mountain Regional and Hampton VA Medical Centers; (2) Critical Skill Incentive bonus payments; (3) the lack of VA Medical Center employee confidence, including at the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, that VA leaders will adequately address employee concerns; (4) VA’s budget shortfall; and (5) senior leader misconduct.
Navy Recruiting Challenges
The Navy will meet its recruiting goal of signing up 40,600 recruits in FY 2024 by the end of September, thanks to new recruiting programs. However, the rush of last-minute recruits means the Navy will not get them to boot camp by September 30, the end of the fiscal year (FY 2024), resulting in a 5,000-person shortfall for FY 2024. The Navy also failed to reach its recruiting goal in FY 2023 by 6,000. The Navy is short 22,000 Sailors to fill billets on ships, with the vast majority (20,000) in the lowest ranks.
All of the services have struggled in recent years to attract recruits in a tight job market. However, the other services have largely rebounded without some of the more desperate steps the Navy has taken, including accepting recruits with very low test scores and those without high school diplomas or a GED.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day
September 20, 2024, is National POW/MIA Recognition Day. It is observed on the third Friday in September. It honors those who were prisoners of war (POWs) and those who are still missing in action (MIA), most commonly associated with POWs during the Vietnam War.