Representative Paul Cook of Yucca Valley joined 346 other representatives to pass a Senate’s bill called “The V.A. Mission Act” on Wednesday. According to Cook, the bill consolidates multiple community care VA programs, including the Choice Program. It also provides additional funding for the program, which will run out of money by the end of May. The Choice Program is one of several through which a veteran can receive care from a community provider if it can’t be received in a timely manner from a nearby VA facility. Opponents of the bill argue that it is the first step toward privatizing the VA system. And others were concerned that the bill’s $52 billion budget will not be exempt from mandatory budget caps scheduled to take effect in coming years. The bill now goes back to the Senate before heading to the president’s desk for signing.
