President-elect Donald Trump's newly created Department of Government Efficiency could impact health care for veterans if plans to cut appropriations for expired bills go ahead.
Trump announced on Tuesday that Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy would spearhead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, once he takes office in January. Trump said DOGE, which will not be an official government department, will "slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies."
Ramaswamy, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination before suspending his campaign in January, has since said that money spent on expired government programs should be stopped. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ramaswamy cited the $516 billion spent on expired acts for the 2024 fiscal year.
"There are 1,200+ programs that are no longer authorized but still receive appropriations," which he described as "totally nuts" and advocated for saving "hundreds of billions" of dollars each year by "defunding government programs that Congress no longer authorizes."
Legislative authorities can expire and continue to receive appropriations—a law of Congress that provides an agency with budget authority—subject to congressional reauthorization. Among those expired appropriations is the Veteran's Health Care Eligibility Act, which amounted to $119 billion in government spending for 2024.
The act provides health care benefits to those who have served in active military, naval, or air service and did not receive a dishonorable discharge. It covers outpatient services like health appointments, immunizations, nutrition education, and inpatient services such as surgeries, acute care, and some conditions or injuries that may require urgent care. The act expired in 1998 but has been continually funded.
www.newsweek.com
For all my fellow veterans who voted for this idiot don't start crying when they screw us over.
Trump announced on Tuesday that Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy would spearhead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, once he takes office in January. Trump said DOGE, which will not be an official government department, will "slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies."
Ramaswamy, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination before suspending his campaign in January, has since said that money spent on expired government programs should be stopped. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ramaswamy cited the $516 billion spent on expired acts for the 2024 fiscal year.
"There are 1,200+ programs that are no longer authorized but still receive appropriations," which he described as "totally nuts" and advocated for saving "hundreds of billions" of dollars each year by "defunding government programs that Congress no longer authorizes."
Legislative authorities can expire and continue to receive appropriations—a law of Congress that provides an agency with budget authority—subject to congressional reauthorization. Among those expired appropriations is the Veteran's Health Care Eligibility Act, which amounted to $119 billion in government spending for 2024.
The act provides health care benefits to those who have served in active military, naval, or air service and did not receive a dishonorable discharge. It covers outpatient services like health appointments, immunizations, nutrition education, and inpatient services such as surgeries, acute care, and some conditions or injuries that may require urgent care. The act expired in 1998 but has been continually funded.
Veterans' health care could be cut by Department of Government Efficiency
Vivek Ramaswamy has said the government should not "spend money on programs that have expired."
www.newsweek.com
For all my fellow veterans who voted for this idiot don't start crying when they screw us over.
