[House Document 108-102]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
108th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document
108-102
FY 2003 APPROPRIATION LAW CHANGE AND FY 2004 BUDGET AMENDMENT
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
REQUESTS TO CHANGE FY 2003 APPROPRIATIONS LAW AND AN FY 2004 BUDGET
AMENDMENT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
July 17, 2003.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered
to be printed
The White House,
Washington, July 15, 2003.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: I ask the Congress to consider the
enclosed requests to change FY 2003 appropriations law and an
FY 2004 budget amendment for the Department of Veterans
Affairs, none of which will affect budget levels.
The details of these requests are set forth in the enclosed
letter from the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush.
[Estimate No. 13, 108th Cong., 1st Sess.]
Executive Office of the President,
Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC, July 14, 2003.
The President,
The White House.
Submitted for your consideration are two proposed changes
to FY 2003 appropriations law, as well as a related FY 2004
budget amendment for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Your proposed budget totals would not be affected by these
requests.
This transmittal includes language that would increase the
statutory loan limit for VA's Native American veteran housing
loan program account from $5 million to $40 million. Low
interest rates have created more demand for new construction
loans and refinancing of existing loans than originally
projected. The current $5 million statutory loan limitation
placed on the program by P.L. 108-7, the Consolidated
Appropriations Resolution, 2003, in insufficient to meet this
current demand. Absent this requested adjustment, VA cannot
issue any new loans for the remainder of FY 2003.
Also included is an FY 2003 request, as well as an FY 2004
budget amendment, that would allow VA to conduct cost
comparison studies using appropriated funds to ensure that
services, such as laundry and food services, are delivered to
veterans at the lowest possible cost without compromising
quality of service.
I have carefully reviewed these proposals and am satisfied
that they are necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs in recommending that you transmit
these proposals to the Congress.
Sincerely,
Joshua B. Bolten,
Director.
Enclosures.
FY 2003 Proposal
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Veterans Benefits Administration
NATIVE AMERICAN VETERAN HOUSING LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT
Under the heading, ``Native American Veteran Housing Loan
Program Account,'' in title I, division K of Public Law 108-7,
delete ``$5,000,000'' and insert ``$40,000,000''.
This request would increase the statutory loan limit for
this program from $5 million to $40 million to allow the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to continue issuing direct
loans. The loan limitation was placed on the program in P.L.
108-7, the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003, for
the first time in the history of this program.
With mortgage rates at historical lows, Native American
veterans have been obtaining interest rate reduction
refinancing loans in record numbers, and the number of
origination loans has also increased. The statutory limitation
of $5 million is insufficient to meet the current demand.
Absent the proposed loan limit adjustment, VA cannot issue any
new loans for the remainder of FY 2003. No additional credit
subsidy budget authority is required.
The proposed budget totals would not be affected by this
request.
------
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Veterans Health Administration
MEDICAL CARE
Under the heading, ``Medical Care,'' in title I, division K
of Public Law 108-7, insert the following after the second
proviso: ``Provided further, That of the funds made available
under this heading, not to exceed $25,000,000 is to fund cost
comparison studies authorized by 38 U.S.C. 8110(a)(5):''.
This request would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs
to conduct cost comparison studies using already appropriated
funds to ensure that services, such as laundry and food
services, are delivered to veterans at the lowest possible cost
without compromising quality of service.
The proposed budget totals would not be affected by this
request.
------
FY 2004 Budget Amendment
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Medical Programs
MEDICAL CARE
FY 2004 Budget Appendix Page: 809
FY 2004 Pending Request: $25,406,024,000
Proposed Amendment: Language
Revised Request: $25,406,024,000
(In the appropriations language under the above heading, insert
the following before the period at the end of the first
sentence:)
; and of which not to exceed $50,000,000 shall be available to
fund cost comparison studies authorized by 38 U.S.C. 8110(a)(5)
This request would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs
to conduct cost comparison studies and allow appropriated funds
to be used for such purposes to ensure that services, such as
laundry and food services, are delivered to veterans at the
lowest possible cost without compromising quality of service.
The proposed budget totals would not be affected by this
request.