Legion tells Congress: 2009 VA budget needs more funding

Last week, the president's budget request for fiscal 2009 reached Capitol Hill. The American Legion testified before both the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees, expressing concern over several areas of funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The total budget request called for just over a $2 billion increase over the recently passed fiscal 2008 funding level.

The American Legion identified several factors that may affect several areas of the VA budget in fiscal 2009:

  • Normal inflation within VA's budget is estimated to be about $1.5 billion;
  • Recent economic environment and spike in unemployment may increase demand on VA medical care and other programs;
  • Redeployment of servicemembers from the "surge" in Iraq;
  • Public Law 110-181 authorized extending operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans' access to free VA medical care from two years to five years; and
  • Increased demands for medical and prosthetic research for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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The non-profit Legionnaire Insurance Trust was founded in 1966 to offer participating American Legion members the opportunity to obtain high-quality Department endorsed insurance products at rates that reflect the massive group buying power of the Legion Departments. For more information see the website: http://www.thelit.com