Medical care and burials at its cemeteries would continue at the Department of Veterans Affairs in the event of a government shutdown, as would benefits such as disability compensation, pensions, education and housing assistance, VA Secretary Denis McDonough said Friday.
But the department would still feel the effects of federal closures, with workers furloughed and some offices shuttered, McDonough said during a press conference. Still, as a result of advanced appropriations that the VA receives each year from Congress, he said much of the department will continue operating.
The possibility of a government shutdown increased significantly this week as House members returned to their districts without reaching a deal on a bill that would have extended funding, or any deals on individual appropriations bills that fund federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Defense Department.
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House Republicans failed to reach an agreement as members fought over provisions in an extended funding bill, known as a continuing resolution, and hard-liners balked at a procedural vote to fund the DoD for fiscal 2024. A shutdown, if it were to occur, would begin at midnight Sept. 30.
“We continue to closely monitor this situation … and hope it gets resolved,” McDonough said.
In the event of a shutdown, VA…
