House Appropriators Approve Increases for Veterans’ Programs

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http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=cqmidday-000003144863

House Appropriators Approve Increases for Veterans’ Programs


A House Appropriations subcommittee Tuesday approved a $132.3 billion spending bill for the Veterans Affairs Department, military construction projects and other programs in fiscal 2010.

Of that amount, about $78 billion would be discretionary spending, nearly 7 percent more than in fiscal 2009 and $239 million more than requested by the White House. The Military Construction-Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee approved the bill by voice vote.

Approximately $109 billion of the overall total would go to the Veterans Affairs Department, 15 percent more than the amount appropriated for fiscal 2009 and equal to President Obama’s budget request.

The Veterans Benefits Administration, which pays out financial assistance, would receive a total of $56 billion, about 19 percent more than it received in fiscal 2009 and the same level as the president’s request.

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