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HR 1823
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VA Budget Shortfall Accountability Act

Introduced Mar 4, 2025

Latest action (Jan 20, 2026) Became Public Law No: 119-71.

Referred to
Veterans' Affairs Committee Veterans' Affairs Committee
Policy area
Armed Forces and National Security
Issues
Economy & Taxes
Legislative subjects (7)
Congressional oversightDepartment of Veterans AffairsExecutive agency funding and structureGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsVeterans' medical careVeterans' pensions and compensation

Summary

This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the causes of recent funding shortfalls in the Department of Veterans Affairs, specifically examining shortfalls in the Veterans Benefits Administration in fiscal year 2024 and projected shortfalls in the Veterans Health Administration in fiscal year 2025. The initial review must begin within 30 days of enactment and examine spending patterns, account transfers, and accuracy of budget projections. The GAO must report findings to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs within 30 days, and the Secretary must forward the report to Congress. The bill requires the GAO to conduct similar annual reviews for the next five years. The reviews are intended to identify remedial actions to improve budget accuracy and prevent future funding shortfalls.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor

Actions (22)
  1. Jan 20, 2026 Became Public Law No: 119-71.
  2. Jan 20, 2026 Signed by President.
  3. Jan 12, 2026 Presented to President. · house
  4. Dec 19, 2025 Message on Senate action sent to the House. · senate
  5. Dec 18, 2025 Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8895) · senate
  6. Dec 18, 2025 Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  7. Dec 18, 2025 Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. · senate
  8. May 20, 2025 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · senate
  9. May 19, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
  10. May 19, 2025 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2129) · house
  11. May 19, 2025 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2129)
  12. May 19, 2025 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1823. · house
  13. May 19, 2025 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2129-2130) · house
  14. May 19, 2025 Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. · house
  15. May 17, 2025 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 74. · house
  16. May 17, 2025 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-101. · house
  17. May 6, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
  18. Mar 25, 2025 Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote. · house
  19. Mar 25, 2025 Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
  20. Mar 10, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. · house
  21. Mar 4, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · house
  22. Mar 4, 2025 Introduced in House

More bills on these subjects (8)

Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).

  • S 2943 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (shares 7 subjects)
  • HR 9770 — Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027 (shares 5 subjects)
  • HR 6861 — Consolidating Veteran Employment Services for Improved Performance Act (shares 5 subjects)
  • HR 5167 — Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (shares 5 subjects)
  • S 2882 — Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026 (shares 5 subjects)
  • HR 3838 — Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (shares 5 subjects)
  • HR 5450 — Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026 (shares 5 subjects)
  • HR 4275 — Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 (shares 5 subjects)

Text versions (5)
  • Referred in Senate · May 20, 2025
  • Engrossed in House · May 19, 2025
  • Reported in House · May 17, 2025
  • Introduced in House · Mar 4, 2025
  • Enrolled Bill

Committee action

What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.

Meetings where this bill was on the agenda

Full text

An Act

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Comptroller General of the United States to report on certain funding shortfalls in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the “VA Budget Shortfall Accountability Act”.

SEC. 2. FUNDING SHORTFALLS IN CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS: REVIEWS; REPORTS.

(a) First GAO Review.—

(1) Review required.—Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall begin a review regarding the circumstances surrounding, and the causes of—

(A) the shortfall in the funding of the Veterans Benefits Administration for fiscal year 2024; and

(B) the expected shortfall in the funding of the Veterans Health Administration in fiscal year 2025.

(2) Elements.—The review under this subsection shall include the following elements:

(A) A comparison of monthly obligations and expenditures in relevant accounts against the spending plan of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(B) Any transfers between accounts described in subparagraph (A).

(C) The reasons for any significant diversions of obligations or expenditures from such spending plan.

(D) An analysis of the accuracy of any projections or estimates relevant to diversions described in subparagraph (C).

(E) Remedial actions the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may take—

(i) to improve the accuracy of supporting information submitted under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, with respect to the Department; and

(ii) to prevent funding shortfalls for the Department.

(3) Report.—Not later than 30 days after completing such review, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs a written report containing the results and findings of such review.

(b) Subsequent GAO Reviews.—In each of the five calendar years following the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall conduct a review including the elements described in subsection (a)(2), and submit a report described in subsection (a)(3), regarding the funding of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the most recent fiscal year to end before the date of such review.

(c) Reports of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.—Not later than 30 days after the Secretary of Veterans Affairs receives a report of the Comptroller General under subsection (a) or (b), the Secretary shall submit such report to—

(1) the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate; and

(2) the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.

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