S.Amdt. 1822

Mr. Moran submitted SA 1822 to the concurrent resolution on the congressional budget for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth appropriate levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034.

The purpose of this amendment is to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to putting veterans first. It aims to allow the Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the Senate to revise allocations, aggregates, and other levels in the resolution, and adjust the pay-as-you-go ledger for legislation relating to strengthening the provision of health care, benefits, and services to veterans, their caregivers, survivors, and beneficiaries through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

• Strengthen health care, benefits, and services to veterans, caregivers, survivors, and beneficiaries.

• Support veteran choice and the ability of veterans to seek health care outside the Department direct care system from community care partners.

• Improve accessibility of mental health and substance use disorder services to high-risk veteran patients.

• Prevent the Department from automatically sending the names of veterans who have a fiduciary to help manage their benefits to the Department of Justice for inclusion in the National Instant Criminal Background Checks System.

• Make it easier for the Department to hold poor performing employees accountable.

• Ensure the timely adjudication and quality of disability claims and appeals.

• Protect benefits for surviving family members of certain Armed Forces members and veterans.

• Strengthen the Department workforce by reducing hire and onboarding time, improving recruitment and retention of veterans and military family members, and creating a long-term human capital plan based on demand.

The amendment requires that the legislation does not increase the deficit over the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2034.