December 23, 2022

House Passes FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Bill, Includes Over $300 Billion to Support Veterans and Their Families

Press Contact

Daniel Santa Cruz

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Consolidated Appropriations bill, which includes an unprecedented $300 billion to help the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) support veterans and their families. The funding provided to VA will expand access to services for veterans and will boost oversight and accountability across the Department.

“The $300 billion provided to VA in this year’s appropriations bill is demonstrative of House Democrats’ commitment to honoring the sacrifices veterans have made on behalf of our country, and lives up to our promises to support them and their families by acknowledging the true cost of war,” said Chairman Takano. “We need to make sure VA is able to work for all veterans, not just a select few. The funding included in this bill will strengthen veterans’ access to mental health care, assist veterans at risk of experiencing homelessness, ensure the 3.5 million newly eligible toxic-exposed veterans can access their benefits under my Honoring our PACT Act, and strengthen VA’s information technology systems. 

“With President Biden’s signature, my STRONG Veterans Act – which is included in this year’s appropriations bill – will also become law. Preventing and reducing veteran suicide has been one of my top priorities as Chairman of the Committee and I am excited to see this bicameral, bipartisan bill be implemented. My bill addresses gaps along the spectrum of suicide prevention and mental health care, expand mental health outreach to traditionally underserved veterans, better equip VA’s workforce to provide mental health care, and strengthen VA’s crisis response system.

“I am also thrilled that, several pieces of legislation championed by members of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will also become law as part of this package. From strengthening benefits for disabled veterans to ensuring VA is held accountable for its ongoing projects, the provisions introduced or co-sponsored by Representatives Brownley, Levin, Pappas, Mrvan, Underwood, Allred, Slotkin, and Gallego each take meaningful actions to ensure VA has what it needs to work on behalf of all veterans.”

BACKGROUND: The FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations bill includes over $300 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs – including $134.7 in discretionary funding, a $22.5 billion increase over FY 22. These resources will serve to expand access to services for veterans and will boost oversight and accountability across VA. This year’s bill includes:

  • $118.7 billion for Veterans Medical Care to meet veterans’ comprehensive health care needs, including: 
    • $13.9 billion for mental healthcare to provide treatment and support for the 2 million veterans receiving mental health services,
    • $840.5 million for women’s health, to help VA deliver gender-specific healthcare services, as well as retrofit its facilities to create a more welcoming environment 
    • $498 million for suicide prevention outreach   
    • $183.3 million for substance use disorder programs 
    • $663 million for opioid abuse prevention  
    • $2.7 billion for Homeless Assistance Programs to better reach homeless veterans 
  • $3.9 billion for administering benefits, including disability compensation and burial benefits, to more than 6 million veterans and their survivors, including:
    • $430 million for the National Cemetery Administration 
    • $285 million for the Board of Veterans’ Appeals 
    • $50 million for grants to State and Tribal cemeteries 
  • $442.7 million in discretionary appropriations for related agencies, including:
    • $156 million for Arlington National Cemetery 
    • $87.5 million for the American Battle Monuments Commission 
    • $152 million for the Armed Forces Retirement Home 
    • $46.9 million for the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims 
  • $5 billion to the Cost of War Toxic Exposure Fund to ensure that the PACT Act continues to be implemented at VA and that the 3.5 million newly eligible veterans and others can get the care and benefits they have earned
  • $5.8 billion for strengthening VA information technology systems
  • $2.7 billion to end and prevent veteran homelessness

House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Members with bills included in the FY 2023 appropriations bill:

Chairman Mark Takano

Rep. Julia Brownley

  • H.R. 7158 – Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act
  • H.R. 912 – American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans Mental Health Act

Rep. Mike Levin

  • H.R. 4772 – Mark O’Brien VA Clothing Allowance Improvement Act
  • H.R. 4657 – Veteran Home Energy Savings Act

Rep. Chris Pappas

  • H.R. 2935 – VA Beneficiary Debt Collection Improvement Act
  • H.R. 2704 – Improving VA Accountability to Prevent Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Act of 2021
  • H.R. 2082 – VA Supply Chain Resiliency Act

Rep. Frank Mrvan

  • H.R. 2250 – Department of Veterans Affairs Information Technology Act of 2022 

Rep. Lauren Underwood

  • H.R. 5603 – Protections for Student Veterans Act 

Reps. Colin Allred and Elissa Slotkin

  • H.R. 4880 – Veterans Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act

Rep. Ruben Gallego

  • H.R. 2775 – VA Quality Health Care Accountability and Transparency Act
  • H.R. 2726 – VA FOIA Reform Act
  • H.R. 2878 – Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program Act

Full details of the veterans provisions in the FY 23 bill can be found here.