Public Law 118–82: Making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.

  For an additional amount for “Compensation and Pensions”, $2,285,513,000, to remain available until expended.

  For an additional amount for “Readjustment Benefits”, $596,969,000, to remain available until expended.

Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on Veterans Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report detailing corrections the Department will make to improve forecasting, data quality and budget assumptions relating to budget submissions for funds provided under the headings “Compensations and Pensions” and “Readjustment Benefits”.

Not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 138 STAT. 1522 submit to the Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on Veterans Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on status of funds made available under the headings “Compensations and Pensions” and “Readjustment Benefits” for fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026 in this or any other Act:

The Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a review of the circumstances surrounding and the underlying causes of the announced funding shortfall for the Veterans Benefits Administration for fiscal year 2024 described in the letter to Congress from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on July 19, 2024, and the announced funding shortfall for the Veterans Health Administration in fiscal year 2025 described in the letter to Congress from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on July 31, 2024.

Relating to the shortfall in the funding of the Veterans Benefits Administration in fiscal year 2024 and the expected shortfall in the funding of the Veterans Health Administration in fiscal year 2025, the review shall include, but not be limited to: a comparison of monthly obligations and expenditures in relevant accounts against the spend plan of the Department; the reasons for any significant diversions of obligations or expenditures from the spend plan; an analysis of the accuracy of projections and estimates relevant to such diversions; and any other matter determined relevant by the Inspector General.

Relating to the expected shortfall in the funding of the Veterans Health Administration in fiscal year 2025, the review also shall include: any changes, abnormalities, or significant events as determined significant by the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the transfer, reallocation, or other movement of funding between or within the Central Office, a Veterans Integrated Service Network, a facility, a program or office, a special purpose fund, the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation process, or the Medical Center Allocation System.

Actions the Department of Veterans Affairs can take to improve the accuracy of supporting information submitted under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, with respect to the Department of Veterans Affairs and to prevent funding shortfalls for the Department.

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on Veterans Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report detailing the conduct and findings of the review.138 STAT. 1523    This Act may be cited as the “Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024”.