[House Document 107-218]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
107th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 107-218
A REQUEST FOR SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
A REQUEST FOR AN FY 2002 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
May 22, 2002.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered
to be printed
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
99-012 WASHINGTON : 2002
The White House,
Washington, May 21, 2002.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: I ask the Congress to consider the
enclosed request for an FY 2002 supplemental appropriation for
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This request is for an
increase in the mandatory cost of disability compensation and
pension benefits for veterans.
During the current year, VA has made dramatic improvements
processing claims, significantly accelerating the rate of
payments. This supplemental request for $1.1 billion is needed
to help pay the benefits associated with reducing the backlog
of claims from previous years. Absent this adjustment, there
would be insufficient funds in September to pay the 2.5 million
veterans who are entitled to benefits.
This transmittal also contains requests for FY 2002
supplemental appropriations for the legislative branch. As a
matter of comity, appropriations requests of the legislative
branch are transmitted without change.
Furthermore, in accordance with provisions of Public Law
107-63, the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2002, I hereby request and made available
$54.0 million in emergency appropriations for the Department of
the Interior's Bureau of Land Management. These emergency funds
will be used to undertake necessary rehabilitation projects on
lands damaged by wildland fires and to support fire suppression
activities. I hereby designate this amount as an emergency
requirement in accordance with section 251(b)(2)(A) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as
amended.
The details of these requests are set forth in the enclosed
letter from the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget. I concur with his comments and observations.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush.
Enclosure.
[Estimate No. 10, 107th Congress, 2d Sess.]
Executive Office of the President,
Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC, May 21, 2002.
The President,
The White House.
Submitted for your consideration are requests for FY 2002
supplemental appropriations for the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) and the Legislative Branch, as well as a request
to make available previously appropriated contingent emergency
funds for the Department of the Interior (DOI).
FY 2002 Supplementals
The FY 2002 supplemental request for VA would provide an
additional $1.1 billion, which is necessary to ensure payment
of mandatory disability compensation and pension benefits to
veterans and their families. Accelerating the consideration of
backlog claims necessitates this technical change and does not
affect the discretionary spending cap and is not subject to
pay-as-you-go requirements.
The FY 2002 Budget anticipated a higher number of payments
because of your initiative to speed up the processing time for
veterans' disability claims: VA performance has exceeded those
expectations. When a new disability or pension claim is
approved the veteran receives a monthly check and a lumpsum
retroactive check for all payments back to the date that the
claim was initially submitted. The retroactive lumpsum
payments, as well as the new monthly benefits to be paid are
now estimated to be $1.1 billion more than anticipated. Absent
this adjustment, there would be insufficient funds in September
to pay the benefits of 2.5 million veterans.
This request draws attention to a requirement for
legislative action. Your FY 2003 Budget requested an
appropriation for an indefinite amount for VA's entitlement
programs similar to the treatment of other mandatory programs.
Indefinite appropriations language for VA's disability
compensation, pension, burial, education, insurance, and
vocational rehabilitation programs would eliminate the need for
future incremental appropriations and ensure that veterans
promptly receive the benefits this Nation owes them.
This transmittal also contains requests for FY 2002
supplemental appropriations, totaling $7.9 million, for the
Legislative Branch. As required by law, appropriation requests
for the Legislative Branch are transmitted without change.
Emergency Designation
Title I of P.L. 107-63, the Department of the Interior and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, provided $54.0
million in contingent emergency funding to DOI's Bureau of Land
Management to address wildland firefighting needs. Your
approval of this request would make these funds available for
emergency fire suppression and burned area rehabilitation.
I recommend that you designate this request for $54.0
million as an emergency requirement in accordance with section
251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985, as amended. No further congressional
action will be required.
Recommendation
I have carefully reviewed these proposals and am satisfied
that they are necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the
Secretaries of the Departments of the Interior and Veterans
Affairs in recommending that you transmit these proposals to
the Congress.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Daniels, Jr.,
Director.
Enclosures.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Veterans Benefits Administration
Compensation and Pensions
For an additional amount for ``Compensation and Pensions,''
$1,100,000,000, to remain available until expended.
This proposal would provide an additional $1.1 billion to
ensure payment of mandatory disability compensation and pension
benefits to veterans and their families. Dramatic improvements
in processing of older claims, and the associated number of
back payments, have resulted in more claims than projected for
FY 2002. Absent this adjustment, there would be insufficient
funds to pay all of these mandatory benefits for the remainder
of the current fiscal year.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Government Printing Office
Congressional Printing and Binding
For an additional amount for ``Congressional Printing and
Binding,'' $5,875,000.
This request would support unanticipated Congressional
Printing and Binding funding requirements based on current
workload. This activity provides information products and
services requested by, and delivered to, the Congress.
Government Printing Office Revolving Fund
For payment to the ``Government Printing Office Revolving
Fund,'' for remediation of asbestos in Government Printing
Office buildings, to remain available until expended.
This request would provide $2.0 million to fund asbestos
abatement in Government Printing Office buildings. This is
necessary to ensure the safety of employees and members of the
public and to comply with standards requiring the abatement of
friable asbestos.
Emergency Appropriations: Amounts Previously Appropriated Made
Available by the President
Department of the Interior (DOI): Bureau of Land
Management--Wildland Fire Management................ $54,000,000
Title I of P.L. 107-63, the Department of the Interior and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, provided $54.0
million to DOI for emergency wildland firefighting needs. The
availability of this funding was contingent upon the President
submitting a budget request to the Congress and designating the
entire $54.0 million as an emergency requirement. The President
has designated this amount as an emergency requirement, making
the funds available for emergency fire suppression and burned
area rehabilitation.