Following Heinrich’s Bipartisan Push, Senate Passes Bill to Ensure Veterans Receive the Benefits They’ve Earned
WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate passed supplemental appropriations legislation, based on a bipartisan bill cosponsored by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), that will protect veterans’ earned benefits and ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is able to continue to pay disability compensation, surviving spouses and dependent compensation, pension, and education benefits to veterans.
With more veterans than ever receiving care and benefits, the VA faces a $3 billion shortfall. If not filled by tomorrow, September 20, there could have been a delay in VA compensation and pension payments scheduled on October 1 for more than seven million veterans, including nearly 70,000 New Mexicans. Now that both the House and Senate have passed this supplemental appropriations bill, President Biden can sign it into law and prevent this potential funding shortfall.
“There was a real sense of urgency to pass this supplemental funding today to make sure the VA can deliver next month’s compensation and pension payments to our veterans on time,” said Heinrich, a member and former Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. “I will always fight to ensure we keep our promise to veterans and military families, that when they return home, they will receive the recognition, education, housing, and health care that they have earned through their service.”
Background:
This year, the VA has served more veterans than ever before and provided more care and benefits to veterans who were exposed to toxins during their time in the military because of the successful implementation of the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. The PACT Act, bipartisan legislation that Heinrich helped to lead as the then-Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.
The PACT Act, which was signed into law in 2022, has provided a record expansion of care and benefits for veterans. As a result, more veterans are filing claims and receiving their long overdue earned benefits, including disability compensation and GI Bill benefits.
Without additional funding to mirror this increased number of claims received, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) was at risk of leaving 7 million veterans and survivors without access to the benefits they have earned. Delaying this funding would have postponed benefit payments that veterans, caregivers, and survivors count on, forcing them to make tough choices when their bills come due at the beginning of October, to avoid overdraft fees, or the potential of services being shut off.
Heinrich cosponsored bipartisan legislation in the Senate led by U.S. Senator SherrodBrown (D-Ohio) to address the funding shortfall and ensure the VA can continue to provide veterans with the benefits they have earned. He will continue pushing for a long-term bipartisan fix in the Appropriations Committee to ensure that veterans’ benefits and care are protected.
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