Senate Approves $1.5B in Funding for Veterans’ Health, Sends Bill to President
The Senate on Friday voted 99-1 to approve the fiscal year 2006 Interior-Environment appropriations bill (HR 2361), which includes $1.5 billion in supplemental funds for Department of Veterans Affairs health care programs, the Washington Post reports (Babington/Blum, Washington Post, 7/30). House and Senate negotiators last week agreed to add $1.5 billion to the legislation for VA health care programs (Taylor, AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 7/29). The House on Thursday voted 410-10 to approve the FY 2006 conference report. VA will use the funds to address a budget deficit in FY 2005 and help address an expected deficit of at least $2.6 billion in FY 2006 (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 7/29). The bill now moves to President Bush (AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 7/29).
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