The House Appropriations Committee approved its fiscal year (FY) 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs (VA), and Related Agencies spending bill on June 13 by a vote of 34-27. The bill maintained the funding increases over FY 2023levels for VA research ($938 million, +2.5%), Medical Services ($76.3 billion, +8%), and Medical Community Care ($33.8 billion, +19%) as approved by the subcommittee in May [refer to Washington Highlights, May 19] and included $20 billion for care and research on illness arising from exposure to toxic substances.
The Appropriations Committee also approved suballocations for each of the 12 FY 2024 spending bills by a vote of 33-27 on June 15. This includes a $40 billion cut to all nondefense discretionary spending below FY 2023 levels, totaling $704 billion for FY 2024. For the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill, the House allocations would represent a $60 billion cut to discretionary spending. The total spending included in all FY 2024 suballocations does not meet the topline spending level agreed upon in the recently enacted Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (H.R. 3746) [refer to Washington Highlights, June 2]. No dates have been set for consideration of additional FY 2024 spending bills in the House or Senate.