House passes VA Choice funding fix in final pre-recess work

http://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2017/07/28/house-passes-va-choice-funding-fix-in-final-pre-recess-work/

House passes VA Choice funding fix in final pre-recess work

By: Leo Shane    17 hours ago


WASHINGTON — In a final flurry of activity before their scheduled August recess, House lawmakers passed a series of veterans-themed legislation, including an emergency funding measure to keep the Veterans Affairs Choice program afloat for another six months.

That financial bridge for Choice — which allows veterans to seek care with private-sector physicians at VA’s expense — is expected to quickly pass the Senate, given a mid-August funding deadline for the program. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and ranking member Jon Tester, D-Mont., have already endorsed the plan.

The agreement comes after a tumultuous week on the issue where a previous plan was defeated on the House floor, sending lawmakers and veterans advocates scrambling for a quick new compromise. On Wednesday, VA officials announced a deal had been reached, but lawmakers denied that release and spent another day negotiating details.

The final plan, which passed the House by a 414-0 vote Friday, is a $3.9 billion emergency spending plan that provides $2.1 billion for six months of funding for the Choice program and $1.8 billion for 28 new medical leases and new health care specialist hires within VA.
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