HR 216 VA Budget Planning Reform Act

Take action to support HR 216, VA Budget Planning Reform Act to improve the budget process for the Department of Veteran Affairs.

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H.R. 216 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit several reports to the Congress and to designate a current Assistant Secretary as the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) for the department.

This legislation would require VA to submit to the Congress several reports. The first report would be entitled the Future-Years Veterans Program and would include a spending plan for the subsequent five years as well as a plan for meeting the goals of the department. It would be included as part of VA’s annual budget submission to the Congress, starting with the budget submission for 2020. VA also would be required to complete a quadrennial review of the policies, strategies, benefits, and services for veterans provided by the department. That review would start in 2019 and be completed every four years thereafter.

In every year for which a quadrennial review is being conducted, VA also would be required to establish an Independent Veterans Review Panel of 10 individuals appointed by the Congress and VA to conduct a review and assessment of the assumptions, strategies, and findings of the quadrennial review. The individuals comprising the Independent Veteran Review Panel would be eligible for compensation not to exceed the pay for a federal employee being paid at the GS-15 General Schedule pay rate.

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