The VHA is primarily a direct service provider of primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services to veterans through the nation's largest integrated health care system. In general, eligibility for VA health care is based on previous military service, presence of service-connected disabilities, and/or other factors. The rest of this report focuses on appropriations for VHA. For FY2014, the Administration requested approximately $147.9 billion. 113-90 ) that was passed by the House of Representatives June 4, 2013, and the Senate Appropriations Committee reported version of H.R. Furthermore, as required by the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 ( P.L. 111-81 ), the President's budget requested $54.5 billion in advance appropriations for the three medical care accounts (medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities) for FY2014. Congressional Action

Congress did not enact a regular Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for FY2013 (MILCON-VA Appropriations bill) prior to the beginning of FY2013, and funded most of the VA (excluding the three medical care accounts: medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities) through a six-month government-wide continuing resolution ( P.L. 113-6 contained funding for the VA. P.L. 113-6 provided $133.9 billion in budget authority for the VA as a whole (excluding the Hurricane Sandy Funding Needs supplemental funding provided in P.L. Subsequent to the enactment of P.L. FY2014 VHA Budget

		President's Request

The President submitted his FY2014 budget request to Congress on April 10, 2013. The FY2014 President's Budget is requesting $147.9 billion for the VA as a whole (see Table 7 ). In total, the President is requesting $55.2 billion for VHA for FY2014. This includes $43.7 billion for the medical services account, $6.0 billion for the medical support and compliance account, $4.9 billion for the medical facilities account, and nearly $586 million for the medical and prosthetic research account (see Table 8 ). 111-81 ), the President's budget is requesting $55.6 billion in advance appropriations for the three medical care appropriations (medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities) for FY2015 (see Table 8 ). House Action

On May 15, 2013, the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee approved its version of a Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for FY2014 (MILCON-VA Appropriations bill). The full House Appropriations Committee voted to report the measure on May 21, 2013, and the House passed H.R. 113-90 ) proposes a total of $147.6 billion for the VA (see Table 7 ). H.R. 2216 ( H.Rept. H.R. 2216 proposes $55.6 billion in advance FY2015 funding for the medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities accounts—the same level included in the House-passed Budget Resolution, and the President's request (see Table 8 ). Senate Appropriations Committee Action

On June 18, 2013, the Senate Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee approved its version of the MILCON-VA Appropriations bill. The full Senate Appropriations Committee marked up the bill and voted to report the measure on June 20, 2013. The MILCON-VA Appropriations bill for FY2014 ( H.R. 2216 ; S.Rept. 113-48 ) proposes a total of $147.9 billion for the VA for FY2014. 2216 ; S.Rept. On January 17, 2014, the President signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 ( P.L. 113-76 ). 111-81), the MILCON-VA Appropriations Act, 2014, provides advance appropriations of $55.6 billion for FY2015 for three VHA accounts (medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities).
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans who meet certain eligibility criteria. Benefits to veterans range from disability compensation and pensions to hospital and medical care. The VA provides these benefits through three major operating units: the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA). This report focuses on funding for the VHA. The VHA is primarily a direct service provider of primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services to veterans through the nation's largest integrated health care system. Eligibility for VA health care is based primarily on previous military service, disability, and income.
The President's FY2014 budget request was submitted to Congress on April 10, 2013. The President's budget requested $147.9 billion in budget authority for the VA as a whole. For FY2014, the Administration requested $55.2 billion for VHA. This included $43.7 billion for the medical services account, $6.0 billion for the medical support and compliance account, $4.9 billion for the medical facilities account, and nearly $586 million for the medical and prosthetic research account. Furthermore, as required by the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-81), the President's budget requested $55.6 billion in advance appropriations for the three medical care accounts (medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities) for FY2015.
On May 15, 2013, the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee approved its version of a Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for FY2014 (MILCON-VA Appropriations bill). The full House Appropriations Committee voted to report the measure on May 21, 2013, and the House passed H.R. 2216 on June 4, 2013. The MILCON-VA Appropriations bill for FY2014 (H.R. 2216; H.Rept. 113-90) proposed a total of $147.6 billion for the VA as whole. For FY2014, H.R. 2216 proposed $54.9 billion for VHA. H.R. 2216 also included $55.6 billion in advance FY2015 funding for the medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities accounts—the same level included in the House-passed FY2014 Budget Resolution, and the President's request. On June 18, 2013, the Senate Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee approved its version of the MILCON-VA Appropriations bill. The full Senate Appropriations Committee voted to report the measure (H.R. 2216; S.Rept. 113-48) on June 20. H.R. 2216 (S.Rept. 113-48) proposed appropriations totaling $147.9 billion for FY2014 for the functions of the VA as a whole and $55.2 billion for VHA. Similar to the House version, the Senate committee-approved version included $55.6 billion in advance FY2015 funding for the medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities accounts.
Neither a MILCON-VA Appropriations bill, nor a continuing appropriations resolution (CR), including FY2014 funding for most of the VA (excluding the three medical care accounts: medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities), was enacted prior to the beginning of FY2014. A funding gap resulted in a partial government shutdown. The funding gap was terminated by the enactment of a CR (P.L. 113-46) on October 17, 2013. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-76), was enacted on January 17, 2014, providing appropriations totaling $147.9 billion for FY2014 for the functions of the VA as a whole and $55.1 billion for VHA. P.L. 113-76 includes $55.6 billion in advance FY2015 funding for the medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities accounts.