Veterans Affairs: Historical Budget Authority, FY1940-FY2012 (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised June 13, 2012 |
| Report Number |
RS22897 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Christine Scott, Domestic Social Policy Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
'Budget authority -- the amount of money a federal department or agency can spend or obligate to spend by law -- for veterans' benefits and services has increased significantly since FY1940. In FY1940, the budget authority for veterans' benefits and services was $561.1 million, and in FY2007 the budget authority was $82. 0 billion, or 146 times the FY1940 budget authority. In constant 2007 dollars (i.e., inflationadjusted), the FY2007 budget authority is 9.9 times the FY1940 budget authority. The increases over time have reflected the impact of increases in the number of veterans as the result of wars and other conflicts, the aging of the veteran population, and changes in benefits and services provided for veterans. This report provides information on the historical budget authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (formerly the Veterans Administration) for FY1940 through FY2007. Budget authority is presented in both current dollars and constant 2007 dollars (i.e., inflation-adjusted). This report will be updated as additional information becomes available."
