Washington, D.C. ­– U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) sent a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary David Shulkin today regarding recent reports that the VA may be facing yet another funding shortfall for the Veterans Choice Program. This comes despite the fact that Congress was forced to pass multiple pieces of legislation this year to preserve the program.

In April, Congress passed and the president signed into law the Veterans Choice Program Improvement Act, legislation that eliminated the sunset date on the Veterans Choice Program and allowed the $1.1 billion left in the program to be utilized through 2018. Just two months later, Congress was once again forced to pass legislation providing an additional $2.1 billion in emergency funding for the program.

In the letter, Senator McCain asks Secretary Shulkin if recent press reports about a funding shortfall are true, and whether funding for the Choice program will remain available into next fiscal year, as the secretary previously testified.

“On June 21 of this year, I joined several of my colleagues in writing to you to express our serious concerns about reports of financial mismanagement at the VA,” writes Senator McCain. “We said at the time that it was essential, given the growing demand for care under the Choice program, that the VA immediately correct the failures that created such a serious shortfall. It appears as if you have not done so.”

The letter is below and here.

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September 27, 2017

The Honorable David J. Shulkin

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

810 Vermont Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20420

Dear Secretary Shulkin,

I am writing to address the recent news from the Associated Press that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may be facing yet another funding shortfall for the Veterans Choice Program. 

As you are aware, earlier this year, Congress eliminated the sunset date on the program in order to allow the remaining $1.1 billion in Choice funding to be applied to the program, which you testified would extend Choice well into the next fiscal year.

On June 21 of this year, I joined several of my colleagues in writing to you to express our serious concerns about reports of financial mismanagement at the VA.  We said at the time that it was essential, given the growing demand for care under the Choice program, that the VA immediately correct the failures that created such a serious shortfall.  It appears as if you have not done so. 

Please provide me with answers to the following questions by the end of the week:

1)      Is the VA facing a third funding shortfall for the Choice Program this year?

2)      Will funding for the Choice program remain available, as you have testified, well into next fiscal year?

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

John McCain

United States Senator

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