The House voted 259-157 Thursday to approve a measure that would provide funding for disability claims and GI Bill benefits programs run by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Military Times reported Thursday.Rick Maze writes the passage comes after the VA warned that it might not be able to pay for some veterans’ services if the shutdown continues.
“With the backlog of disability claims continuing to pile up and veterans being forced to wait longer and longer to receive their benefits, it is critical that the White House and Congress work together to support our veterans,†said House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), according to the report.
VA spokeswoman Victoria Dillon told the publication the agency intends to continue mandatory overtime for claims processors through early November.
