Full Cost of War Act
New Bill Would Require Congress to Fund Veterans' Care Whenever a New War is Declared
To require the inclusion of an authorization of appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs in any authorization for use of military force or declaration of war.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Representative Deluzio, would require Congress to approve funding for veterans' healthcare and benefits at the same time they authorize a new war or military action.
- If passed, any future vote to go to war must include a plan to pay for the long-term costs of caring for the soldiers who fight in it, including medical care and disability payments.
- The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs would work together to determine exactly how much money is needed to cover the specific needs of veterans returning from that conflict.
- The goal of this policy is to ensure that the government considers the 'full cost of war'—including the care of veterans years after a conflict ends—before the country commits to military action.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
Broader Impacts
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
3 articles
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This historic infrastructure investment arrives alongside the Full Cost of War Act, proposed by Reps. Deluzio and Lieu. The legislation would mandate that lawmakers authorize VA healthcare funding simultaneously with any new military force authorizations to prevent care from being an afterthought.
Veterans 'sense' Republicans are 'trying to privatize' the VA: Rep. Deluzio
Iraq War veteran Rep. Chris Deluzio discusses the critical need for sustained VA funding and staffing. Deluzio emphasizes that the nation has a 'sacred obligation' to fully fund the VA, a principle central to his legislative efforts to tie military authorizations to veteran care appropriations.
House passes $893 billion defense policy bill with war powers repeal
The House approved a massive defense authorization bill that includes guidelines for service member pay and benefits. The debate highlighted ongoing efforts by veteran lawmakers to reform war powers and ensure that military authorizations are linked to long-term veteran healthcare commitments.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
To require the inclusion of an authorization of appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs in any authorization for use of military force or declaration of war.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(2)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.