GOP Advances Bills to Increase Veteran Spending and Review Capitol Police Preparedness.

House Republicans have advanced an appropriations bill that would increase spending for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by $18 billion from last fiscal year but significantly reduce a key fund providing care for veterans exposed to toxic chemicals. The bill would fully fund the VA budget request and provide about $152 billion in discretionary spending for the agency, up from the Biden administration’s request of $142.8 billion. However, Democrats have raised concerns over a $14.7 billion cut to the Toxic Exposures Fund from the Biden administration’s request of about $20 billion for the medical benefits allocation.