Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024

[118th Congress Public Law 82]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 138 STAT. 1521]]

Public Law 118-82
118th Congress

                                 An Act


 
Making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 
   30, 2024, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Sept. 20, 2024 -  [H.R. 
                                9468]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Veterans 
Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act, 
2024.>>  That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in 
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2024, and for other purposes, namely:

                     DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

                    Veterans Benefits Administration

                        compensation and pensions

    For an additional amount for ``Compensation and Pensions'', 
$2,285,513,000, to remain available until expended.

                    Veterans Benefits Administration

                          readjustment benefits

    For an additional amount for ``Readjustment Benefits'', 
$596,969,000, to remain available until expended.

                      GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT

    Sec. 101.  Each amount appropriated or made available by this Act is 
in addition to amounts otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year 
involved.
    Sec. 102.  Unless otherwise provided for by this Act, the additional 
amounts appropriated by this Act to appropriations accounts shall be 
available under the authorities and conditions applicable to such 
appropriations accounts for fiscal year 2024.
    Sec. 103. (a) <<NOTE: Reports.>>  Budget Formulation and 
Forecasting.--Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on 
Appropriations and the Committees on Veterans Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Senate a report detailing corrections the 
Department will make to improve forecasting, data quality and budget 
assumptions relating to budget submissions for funds provided under the 
headings ``Compensations and Pensions'' and ``Readjustment Benefits''.

    (b) Reporting Requirement.--Not later than 60 days after the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall

[[Page 138 STAT. 1522]]

submit to the Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on 
Veterans Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report 
on status of funds made available under the headings ``Compensations and 
Pensions'' and ``Readjustment Benefits'' for fiscal years 2024, 2025, 
and 2026 in this or any other Act: Provided, That <<NOTE: Time 
period.>>  such report shall be updated and submitted to such Committees 
every 90 days thereafter until September 30, 2026, and shall include 
information detailing any changes to estimates or assumptions on 
obligations and expenditures, including data supporting these changes.

    Sec. 104. (a) <<NOTE: Review.>>  The Inspector General of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a review of the 
circumstances surrounding and the underlying causes of the announced 
funding shortfall for the Veterans Benefits Administration for fiscal 
year 2024 described in the letter to Congress from the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs on July 19, 2024, and the announced funding shortfall 
for the Veterans Health Administration in fiscal year 2025 described in 
the letter to Congress from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on July 
31, 2024.

    (b) <<NOTE: Analysis.>>  Relating to the shortfall in the funding of 
the Veterans Benefits Administration in fiscal year 2024 and the 
expected shortfall in the funding of the Veterans Health Administration 
in fiscal year 2025, the review shall include, but not be limited to: a 
comparison of monthly obligations and expenditures in relevant accounts 
against the spend plan of the Department; the reasons for any 
significant diversions of obligations or expenditures from the spend 
plan; an analysis of the accuracy of projections and estimates relevant 
to such diversions; and any other matter determined relevant by the 
Inspector General.

    (c) Relating to the expected shortfall in the funding of the 
Veterans Health Administration in fiscal year 2025, the review also 
shall include: any changes, abnormalities, or significant events as 
determined significant by the Inspector General of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs in the transfer, reallocation, or other movement of 
funding between or within the Central Office, a Veterans Integrated 
Service Network, a facility, a program or office, a special purpose 
fund, the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation process, or the Medical 
Center Allocation System.
    (d) Actions the Department of Veterans Affairs can take to improve 
the accuracy of supporting information submitted under section 1105(a) 
of title 31, United States Code, with respect to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs and to prevent funding shortfalls for the Department.
    (e) <<NOTE: Reports.>>  Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations and 
the Committees on Veterans Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Senate a report detailing the conduct and findings of the review.

[[Page 138 STAT. 1523]]

     This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Benefits Continuity and 
Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024''.

    Approved September 20, 2024.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 9468:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 170 (2024):
            Sept. 17, considered and passed House.
            Sept. 19, considered and passed Senate.

                                  <all>