Lawmakers push for big VA budget increase

Lawmakers push for big VA budget increase

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Mar 9, 2010 12:09:44 EST

Despite plans to give the Veterans Affairs Department a 7 percent budget increase at a time when most federal spending is frozen, key congressional committees are pushing for even bigger veterans budgets.

They just can’t agree on how much more to give.

At the low end, Democrats on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee are recommending a $380 million increase in the $56.9 billion VA budget proposed by the Obama administration. At the high end, Republicans on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee are recommending a $2.6 billion increase. Democrats on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee fall in between, proposing a $571 million increase over the administration budget.
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Lawmakers push for big VA budget increase