The $3B VA funding bill is being moved forward in the House, but the threat of a government shutdown looms.

A $3 billion veterans supplemental funding bill is likely to be voted on by the House of Representatives this week, according to Planet Chronicle Digital.

With no agreement on federal spending for the next fiscal year, Congress is heading towards an Oct. 1 deadline for a partial government shutdown.

The veterans bill, led by Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif., is expected to have enough support to avoid being mired in the political turmoil surrounding the 2025 fiscal year funding.

Despite the election and funding drama, bipartisan members are ensuring that veterans receive care.

"If the Senate and the president comprehend the value, we'll resolve the issue."

In July, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) informed Congress that it was facing a $3 billion shortfall in funding for the current fiscal year, which ends on September 30, and also projected a $12 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.

If the VA fails to pass the additional funds by Sept. 20, 7 million veterans could lose their benefits by Oct. 1.

"Garcia stated that he would not write a blank check to a federal agency that is underperforming and overrunning their accounts, as it would affect not only the 7 million veterans but also their families and those around them."

The 7 million veterans, he stated, would lose their pension and GI bill benefits, as well as college tuition assistance.

The bill proposed by Garcia requires the VA to submit a report on the budget shortfall to Congress and establish guidelines for future accountability reporting to ensure proper management of funds. Additionally, the VA secretary would be obligated to inform lawmakers of any changes to the budget estimate.

The VA was responsible for the budget shortfall due to "mismanagement and bad budgeting," which likely impacted other accounts and affected VA benefits.

The VA cited increased demand for its health care and the passing of the PACT Act as reasons for the shortfall.

The House vote is anticipated this week. After returning to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday afternoon, lawmakers will have only 10 working days to resolve the broader government funding issue before the partial shutdown deadline.

The 118th Congress has seen significant political upheavals due to government funding being a contentious issue.

The vote on a short-term fiscal year 2024 funding extension, known as a continuing resolution (CR), was postponed due to internal Republican disagreements and may be considered this week.

Garcia acknowledged that his veterans supplemental funding bill and the broader federal spending fight were being pursued independently, but admitted that he was concerned about the former being hindered by the latter.

"Since it transforms into a pumpkin on Sept. 20, we don't have much time to link this to a CR package. I recommend to leadership, which I have, that we shouldn't utilize our veterans as political tools for other legislative initiatives," he stated.

The House bill is headed by two senior GOP lawmakers, Tom Cole and Mike Bost, who are the chairs of the House Appropriations Committee and House Veterans Affairs Committee, respectively.

In August, a similar legislative push was also made in the Senate.