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The $328.1 billion 2024 budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs is the largest in agency history. President Joe Biden's 2025 budget for the VA asks for yet another increase to $369.3 billion.
If enacted by Congress, the 2025 proposal would represent a 668% increase in the VA's budget since 2001 and, although over half of the department's annual budget goes toward mandatory spending like disability compensation, the question remains: Have these historic levels of funding translated to improved outcomes for our veterans?
While it is reassuring to see strong governmental commitment to address the challenges veterans face, the VA and other federal agencies need to ensure this funding benefits the people it is meant to serve. We owe it to veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors to make sure these resources are used effectively to improve all aspects of veterans' well-being. If the money is spent on overhead and outcomes don't improve, then it's all for naught.
Our veterans are facing overlapping challenges and need strong support to overcome them. Take veteran suicide: The statistics have remained stagnant for years. Ten years ago, 17.7 veterans killed themselves per day. In 2021, the…
