Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 3118 - Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996

(House)
(Stump (R) AZ and 65 cosponsors)

The Administration strongly supports veterans' health care eligibility reform — the single most important need in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system at this time. Last year, as part of its reinvention initiative, VA reviewed its basic missions and major programs. That review resulted, in draft legislation — transmitted to Congress on September 12, 1995 — that would reform VA's eligibility system to enable the Department to establish a modem, integrated health care system that will improve access to and care for our Nation's veterans.

H.R. 3118 includes many elements of VA's eligibility reform proposal. The Administration, therefore, supports House passage of H.R. 3118 and will work with the Senate to address certain concerns with the bill.

Scoring for Purposes of Pay-As-You-Go

H.R. 3118 would affect both direct spending and receipts; therefore, it is subject to the pay-as-you-go requirement of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. OMB's preliminary scoring estimate of H.R. 3118 is zero.