113 th congress: political environment and outlook
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113 th Congress: Political Environment and Outlook. Results of the 2012 Federal Elections. The Status Quo Prevails President Obama Re-Elected to Second Term Winning Percentage Drops from 53% to 51% Democrats Retain Control of the Senate Pick Up Two Net Seats (55 D & I to 47 R) - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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113th Congress: Political Environment and Outlook
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Results of the 2012 Federal Elections
The Status Quo Prevails
• President Obama Re-Elected to Second Term• Winning Percentage Drops from 53% to 51%
• Democrats Retain Control of the Senate• Pick Up Two Net Seats (55 D&I to 47 R)
• Republicans Retain Control of the House • Net Loss of Eight Seats (232 R to 200 D)
• VA Secretary Shinseki Stays for Second Term
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Results of the 2012 Federal Elections
Some Changes in Congressional Leadership
• Sen. Sanders (D-VT) Assumes VA Committee Chair• Senator Burr (R-NC) Remains Ranking Member• Most Committee Members Return to SVAC
• Rep. Miller (R-FL) Remains House VA Chairman• Rep. Michaud (D-ME) Becomes New Ranking Member• Wholesale Changes in Committee Membership,
Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Slots
• Sen. Murray (D-WA) Becomes New Budget Chairman
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Results of the 2012 Federal Elections
Is Gridlock the New Status Quo in DC?
• Can Divided Government Work Together?• Early Partisan Battles on Debt Ceiling and Sequestration
• Will Budget Crisis Affect Veterans Funding?• Advance Appropriations and Ruling on Sequestration Provide
Some Protection for VA Benefits and Programs This Year
• Will Electoral Politics Block New Policy Changes?• Non-Stop Congressional Election Cycle• 2016 Presidential Campaign Already Underway
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Budget Outlook for Veterans Programs
No Resolution to Continuing Budget Crisis
• Congress Failed (Again!) to Pass Budget on Time• Late 15 of Last 16 Years, 21 of Last 24
• FY 2013 Continuing Resolution Expires April 1st
• Most Agencies and Programs Funded at FY 2012 Levels• VA Funded at Proposed FY 2013 Levels (4.5% Increase)• VA Medical Care $1.5 Billion Below IB Recommendation
• Will Advance Appropriations Advance?• VA Health Care Has Full Year FY 2013 Appropriation• BUT, FY 2014 Advance NOT Yet Approved
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Budget Outlook for Veterans Programs
Budget Obstacle Course Ahead
• Sequestration First Hurdle for New Congress• VA Exempted from Virtually All Automatic Cuts• BUT NOT Employment & Training Programs in DOL
• Appropriations for Second Half of FY 2013• VBA Funded at Increased 2013 Request Level• FY 2014 Advance Appropriations Must Be Approved• VA Must End Reliance on Old or New Gimmicks
• (i.e. - “Operational Improvements”)
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Budget Outlook for Veterans Programs
Administration’s New FY 2014 VA Budget Plan
• President Delayed Budget Past February Deadline• Will Not Arrive Until March; Congress May Not Wait
• FY 2014 Proposal Likely to Track FY 2013 Proposal• Advance Appropriation for FY 2014 Expected to Remain
• 3.3% Increase for Medical Care Funding• Other Discretionary Accounts Expect Level Funding• Mandatory Funding Will Continue Rising
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Budget Outlook for Veterans Programs
FY 2007 Actual
FY 2008 Actual
FY 2009 Actual
FY 2010 Actual
FY 2011 Actual
FY 2012 Estimate
FY 2013 Request
FY 2014 Advance
$35.810$38.726
$42.981$47.385
$50.813 $53.378 $55.672 $57.513
Total VA Medical Care Funding Has Risen Annually
(in $Billions)
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Budget Outlook for Veterans Programs
FY 2008 Actual
FY 2009 Actual
FY 2010 Actual
FY 2011 Actual
FY 2012 Estimate
FY 2013 Request
FY 2014 Advance
0 .0 %
2 .0 %
4 .0 %
6 .0 %
8 .0 %
1 0 .0 %
1 2 .0 %
8.1%
11.0%
10.2%
7.2%
5.0%4.3%
3.3%
BUT Annual Rate of Increase in
VA Medical Care Spending Has Been Trending
Downward
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Budget Outlook for Veterans Programs
FY 2007 Actual
FY 2008 Actual
FY 2009 Actual
FY 2010 Actual
FY 2011 Actual
FY 2012 Estimate
FY 2013 Request
0
5 0 0
1 ,0 0 0
1 ,5 0 0
2 ,0 0 0
2 ,5 0 0
$339
$1,531
$923$1,194 $1,074
$590 $532
$525
$631
$742
$703
$467
$482 $608
Minor ConstructionMajor Construction
VA Construction Funding Has Also Declined
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FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 20130
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
$85 $85
$165 $175
$100 $85 $85 $85
$150Stimulus FundingS.V.H. Construction Grants
State Home Construction Grants Also Decreased
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Legislative Outlook for Veterans Programs
Congressional Priorities
• VA Health Care Funding• H.R. 803 - Putting Veterans First Act
Reps. Miller (FL) and Michaud (ME)• Infrastructure / Construction Issues
• New CBO Lease Scoring• Waste, Fraud and Abuse in All VA Spending• Mental Health Care, PTSD & Suicide• Claims Processing Reform• Veterans Transition to Employment
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Policy Outlook for Veterans Programs
VA Long Term Care Programs
• LTSS – Long Term Services and Support• Increasing Focus on Non-Institutional Care
• VISN and VAMC’s “Rebalancing” LTSS• Local Re-Allocation of Resources
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Policy Outlook for Veterans Programs
VBA Claims Processing Reform
• Secretary’s Goal for 2015: End the Backlog• All Claims within 125 Days, 98% Accuracy
• People, Processes and Technology• New Smart, Paperless IT System
• VBMS, SEP, VRM• New Organizational Model for VAROs
• FDC, DBQ, SNL• Training, Testing and Quality Control
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Working With VSOs for Success
• The Independent Budget (VFW, DAV, PVA & AMVETS)• Budget Recommendations • Policy Recommendations• NASVH Endorses IB• IB Supports NASVH Recommendations
• Major VSOs Tremendously Influential in DC• Testifying at Virtually All Congressional Hearings• Close Relationships with Congressional Staff• Collaborating with VBA on Claims Reform
• VSO Resolutions Often Come From Local Chapters• Summer Conventions Adopt Resolutions• State, Local Conventions in Spring