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$32.5 MILLION FOR VA R&D IN WAR SUPPLEMENTAL
Yesterday, Congress
finally passed war supplemental funding legislation and sent it to the
White House for the president’s signature. Of particular interest to
the VA research community, the bill contains $32.5 million for VA
medical and prosthetic research “related to the unique needs of
returning Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom
veterans.” This item survived months of deliberations as the bill was
whittled down to avoid a second presidential veto. The VA R&D funds are
available during the current fiscal year and “remain available until
expended.”
Pasted below is the
full text of the VA section of the bill – HR 2206. Overall, VA fared
well, receiving nearly $1.8 billion in additional funding for medical
services, administration, facilities, research, IT and minor
construction.
Credit for this good
news and the House Mil-Con Appropriations Subcommittee recommendation of
$480 million for VA R&D in FY 2008 (see:
http://www.navref.org/advocacy/alert_052307.htm) goes to the many
members of Congress who responded positively to the hard work of the
Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA), the Independent
Budget (IB) and the Federation of American Scientists for Experimental
Biology (FASEB), all of which coordinate their VA research advocacy
efforts for greater effectiveness, and other VA research supporters.
CHAPTER 7
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
MEDICAL SERVICES
For an additional
amount for “Medical Services”, $466,778,000, to remain available until
expended, of which $30,000,000 shall be for the establishment of at
least one new Level I comprehensive polytrauma center; $9,440,000 shall
be for the establishment of polytrauma residential transitional
rehabilitation programs; $10,000,000 shall be for additional transition
caseworkers; $20,000,000 shall be for substance abuse treatment
programs; $20,000,000 shall be for readjustment counseling; $10,000,000
shall be for blind rehabilitation services; $100,000,000 shall be for
enhancements to mental health services; $8,000,000 shall be for
polytrauma support clinic teams; $5,356,000 shall be for additional
polytrauma points of contact; $228,982,000 shall be for treatment of
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans; and
$25,000,000 shall be for prosthetics.
MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION
For an additional
amount for “Medical Administration”, $250,000,000, to remain available
until expended.
MEDICAL FACILITIES
For an additional
amount for “Medical Facilities”, $595,000,000, to remain available until
expended, of which $45,000,000 shall be used for facility and equipment
upgrades at the Department of
Veterans Affairs polytrauma network sites; and $550,000,000
shall be for non-recurring maintenance as identified in the Department
of Veterans
Affairs Facility Condition
Assessment report: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
for non-recurring maintenance shall be allocated in a manner not subject
to the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation: Provided further, That
within 30 days of enactment of this Act the Secretary shall submit to
the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress an
expenditure plan, by project, for non-recurring maintenance prior to
obligation: Provided further, That semi-annually, on October 1 and April
1, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress a report on the status of funding for
non-recurring maintenance, including obligations and unobligated
balances for each project identified in the expenditure plan.
MEDICAL AND PROSTHETIC
RESEARCH
For an additional
amount for “Medical and Prosthetic Research”, $32,500,000, to remain
available until expended, which shall be used for research related to
the unique medical needs of returning Operation Enduring Freedom and
Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans.
DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION
General Operating
Expenses
(including transfer of funds)
For an additional
amount for “General Operating Expenses”, $83,200,000, to remain
available until expended, of which $1,250,000 shall be for digitization
of military records; $60,750,000 shall be for expenses related to hiring
and training new claims processing personnel; up to $1,200,000 shall be
for an independent study of the organizational structure, management and
coordination processes, including seamless transition, utilized by the
Department of Veterans
Affairs to provide
health care and benefits to
active duty personnel and veterans, including those returning Operation
Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans; and $20,000,000
shall be for disability examinations: Provided, That not to exceed
$1,250,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading may be
transferred to the Department of Defense for the digitization of
military records used to verify stressors for benefits claims.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
SYSTEMS
For an additional
amount for “Information Technology Systems”, $35,100,000, to remain
available until expended, of which $20,000,000 shall be for information
technology support and improvements for processing of Operation Enduring
Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans benefits claims, including
making electronic Department of Defense medical records available for
claims processing and enabling electronic benefits applications by
veterans; and $15,100,000 shall be for electronic data breach
remediation and prevention.
CONSTRUCTION, MINOR
PROJECTS
For an additional
amount for “Construction, Minor Projects”, $326,000,000, to remain
available until expended, of which up to $36,000,000 shall be for
construction costs associated with the establishment of polytrauma
residential transitional rehabilitation programs. |
