March 09, 2023

Ranking Member Takano Statement on President Biden's FY 2024 Request

Press Contact

Daniel Santa Cruz

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-Calif.) issued the following statement after President Biden’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget request was released. This year’s request provides for $137.9 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) —a $3 billion increase over the enacted 2023 funding. 

“With today’s release of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget request, the Biden-Harris Administration has once again shown its commitment to our veterans,” said Ranking Member Takano. “In his request, President Biden is demonstrating a fiscally responsible plan to cut deficits by $3 trillion over the next 10 years without removing funding from programs veterans and their families rely on. I have yet to see this kind of commitment from my colleagues across the aisle, who have, in fact, said that cuts need to be made somewhere.

“Budgets reflect our priorities and values, and I am glad to see that President Biden’s priorities for veterans align with my own. I am thrilled to see that the  budget request includes investments that will strengthen veterans’ healthcare, bolster mental health services and suicide prevention programs, support women veterans, prevent and end veteran homelessness, update VA’s aging physical infrastructure, and modernize VA information technology for future generations of veterans. I am also glad the Administration is requesting significant funding for implementation of my Honoring our PACT Act, the largest expansion of VA benefits and care in generations. I look forward to learning how resources dedicated to PACT Act implementation are allocated. I also intend to speak with Secretary McDonough about the concerning rising costs of the community care program at our upcoming Committee hearing on the President's budget.

“The Fiscal Year 2024 budget request is a statement of our country’s values and showcases to the American people President Biden’s strong and unwavering commitment to our veterans. I share that same commitment and firmly believe we can make responsible budgeting decisions without reneging on our sacred promise to our nation’s veterans."

For more information about President Biden’s FY 2024 budget request for VA, click here.

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