	Department of Veterans Affairs Overview

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a range of benefits and services to veterans and eligible dependents who meet certain criteria as authorized by law. These benefits include medical care, disability compensation and pensions, education, vocational rehabilitation and employment services, assistance to homeless veterans, home loan guarantees, administration of life insurance as well as traumatic injury protection insurance for servicemembers, and death benefits that cover burial expenses. 114-223 ) and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs—Additional Appropriations Act, 2017 (Division L of P.L. The President's Budget Request for FY2017 and Congressional Action

		President's Request

The President's FY2017 budget request for the Department of Veterans Affairs was submitted to Congress on February 9, 2016. The President's FY2017 VA request is approximately $177.54 billion. This amount, which includes $102.53 billion in mandatory funding and $75.01 billion in discretionary appropriations ( Table 1 ), is a 9.14% increase over the FY2016-enacted level of $162.67 billion. 114-223 ) on September 29, 2016. House Action

On April 13, 2016, the House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations bill ( H.R. 114-497 ). The House passed the measure on May 19. The House-passed measure provides a total of $176.06 billion for the VA, a slight decrease (0.83%) from the President's request of $177.54 billion and an 8.23% increase from the FY2016-enacted amount ( Table 1 ). This amount includes $102.53 billion in mandatory appropriations and $73.53 billion in discretionary appropriations. 4974 ; H.Rept. Senate Action

On April 14, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations bill ( S. 2806 ; S.Rept. 114-237 ). The Senate passed the FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations bill on May 19 as an appropriations package that included the FY2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations bill (Division A), the FY2017 MILCON-VA bill (Division B), and the Zika Response Appropriations bill (Title V of Division B). The Senate-passed version of the FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations bill (Division B of H.R. 2577 ) provides a total of $177.39 billion for VA, a 9.04% increase over the FY2016-enacted level of $162.67 billion and slightly less than the President's request for FY2017. This amount includes $102.53 billion in mandatory appropriations and $74.85 billion in discretionary appropriations ( Table 1 ). Division A of the Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response and Preparedness Act ( H.R. 5325 ; P.L. This included $102.53 billion for mandatory benefits and services and $74.36 billion for discretionary programs and services. VA Patient Protection Act of 201627

The FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations act also includes the VA Patient Protection Act of 2016 as an administrative provision. Section 247 of the FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations act would establish another process for VA employees to file whistleblower complaints. 101-12 , 103 Stat. 16; P.L. 103-424 , 108 Stat. 115-31, Division L)

On May 5, 2017, President Trump signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 ( H.R. The act provides $50 million for the medical services account for opioid and substance abuse prevention and treatment, and for implementation expenses related to the Jason Simcakoski Memorial and Promise Act ( P.L. 114-198 ). With this additional appropriation, the total amount provided for VA by Division A of P.L. 115-31 for FY2017 is approximately $176.94 billion.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a range of benefits and services to veterans and eligible dependents who meet certain criteria as authorized by law. These benefits include medical care, disability compensation and pensions, education, vocational rehabilitation and employment services, assistance to homeless veterans, home loan guarantees, administration of life insurance as well as traumatic injury protection insurance for servicemembers, and death benefits that cover burial expenses.
The President's FY2017 budget request for the VA was submitted to Congress on February 9, 2016. The President's FY2017 request for VA is approximately $177.54 billion. This amount, which includes $102.53 billion in mandatory funding and $75.01 billion in discretionary appropriations, is a 9.14% increase over the FY2016-enacted level of $162.67 billion.
On April 13, 2016, the House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the FY2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MILCON-VA) appropriations bill (H.R. 4974; H.Rept. 114-497). The House passed the measure on May 19. The House-passed measure provides a total of $176.06 billion for the VA, a slight decrease (0.83%) from the President's request of $177.54 billion and an 8.23% increase from the FY2016-enacted amount. This amount includes $102.53 billion in mandatory appropriations and $73.53 billion in discretionary appropriations.
On April 14, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations bill (S. 2806; S.Rept. 114-237). The Senate passed the FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations bill on May 19 as an appropriations package that included the FY2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations bill (Division A); the FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations bill (Division B), and the Zika Response appropriations bill (Title V of Division B). The Senate-passed version of the FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations bill (Division B of H.R. 2577) provides a total of $177.39 billion for VA, a 9.04% increase over the FY2016-enacted level of $162.67 billion and slightly less than the President's request for FY2017. This amount includes $102.53 billion in mandatory appropriations and $74.85 billion in discretionary appropriations.
On September 29, 2016, President Obama signed the Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response and Preparedness Act (H.R. 5325; P.L. 114-223). Division A of this act contained the FY2017 MILCON-VA appropriations act. P.L. 114-223 would provide $176.89 billion for VA for FY2017. This includes $102.53 billion in mandatory funding and $74.36 billion in discretionary funding. The act also contained several administrative provisions including, among others, fertility counseling and treatment using assisted reproductive technology (e.g., in vitro fertilization, IVF) for eligible veterans and their spouses or adoption reimbursement. It also included the VA Patient Protection Act of 2016, which would establish another process for VA employees to file whistleblower complaints in addition to the relief under the Whistleblower Protection Act (P.L. 101-12, 103 Stat. 16; P.L. 103-424, 108 Stat. 4361). On May 5, 2017, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, which included the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs—Additional Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31, Division L). This act provides an additional $50 million for implementation costs associated with the Jason Simcakoski Memorial and Promise Act (Title IX of P.L. 114-198). Thus the total enacted amount provided for VA for FY2017 is $176.94 billion. This report provides an overview of VA appropriations; for a discussion on military construction appropriations, see CRS Report R44639, Military Construction: FY2017 Appropriations.