Senator Murray's Statement on President Obama's VA Budget

U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the second-ranking Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement on the President’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget request for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“This is a budget that provides reassurance for our veterans in an extremely difficult budget climate. It represents a 15% increase over the VA budget enacted last year and provides critical help in the areas of mental health care and getting our veterans back to work. As a major influx of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans return home seeking care at the VA, there is no question that the investments this budget makes are sorely needed.

“I will continue to work with the VA on the few concern areas I have in this budget including in VA construction and maintenance. We must work to ensure the VA has the facilities to provide the state-of-the-art care our veterans deserve.”