{"id":30867,"date":"2023-07-27T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-27T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/07\/27\/va-funding-plan-passes-house-with-more-controversial-provisions\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:55:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:55:02","slug":"va-funding-plan-passes-house-with-more-controversial-provisions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/2023\/07\/27\/va-funding-plan-passes-house-with-more-controversial-provisions\/","title":{"rendered":"VA funding plan passes House with more controversial provisions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

House Republicans responded to President Joe Biden\u2019s veto threat <\/a>on their Veterans Affairs appropriations bill by adding even more controversial social issues<\/a> into the measure, further complicating negotiations on how to fund veterans programs into next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday, the chamber advanced a $320 billion funding measure for the Department of Veterans Affairs <\/a>for fiscal 2024, which would give the agency its largest budget ever. The final 219-211 vote was along party lines, with only Republicans backing the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cost of the spending plan matches what White House officials requested earlier this year <\/a>and has not been a sticking point in negotiations. Rather, Democrats objected to amendments included in the bill which would bar VA officials from providing any abortion services<\/a>, severely limit health care options for transgender veterans, and bar department facilities from displaying the LGBT pride flag<\/a> at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVA Is a place where all veterans should feel welcomed, included, and cared for,\u201d said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee\u2019s panel on veterans issues, ahead of the vote. \u201cAll veterans means all veterans. And what this bill does is shameful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t