Carter Remarks at FY25 Budget Request For The Department Veterans Affairs (As Prepared)

Apr 16, 2024

Statements

Good morning.

Mr. Secretary, good morning. Welcome and thank you for joining us today. We appreciate your leadership and the Department's efforts to support veterans.

More than any other federal department, the VA recognizes, supports, cares for, and lays to rest our nation's veterans. We are in the saddle to build a budget that gives back to those who put us first. I understand the great responsibility this is, as I have nearly 65,000 veterans in my district.

This subcommittee continues to support the VA-DOD electronic health record management system. I was disappointed to see that your request is a 50 percent cut from FY24 and does not include any future deployments. VA must make the system work for providers and veterans in a timely manner, while also holding Oracle Cerner to its commitments.

Many veterans face unique health challenges, and we owe it to them to provide the best health care options whether that is at VA Medical Centers or going into the community. This Committee has always and will continue to fully fund VA Medical Care. We need to make absolutely certain that VA's fiscal year 2025 budget request fully funds Veterans medical care needs.

While every agency is facing calls to reduce or constrain spending, we must do our due diligence to ensure we fully fund veterans programs in a bipartisan and fiscally responsible manner.

Mr. Secretary, thank you again for being here. I recognize Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz for her opening comments.