President Biden Announces Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2023, AFSA Attends White House Announcement

Yesterday, Vanessa and I virtually attended the White House's (TWH) official unveiling of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Proposal. 

To see the budget in its entirety, please click here.

​At the meeting were a select few organizations, senior White House officials, and the Director, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Shalanda D. Young. 

In an early March letter, on behalf of our 75,000+ members, AFSA's Chief Executive, Keith A. Reed, wrote the President directly to request the following considerations be taken into account when formulating the FY23 budget request:

• Oppose budget cuts and sequestration
• Be prepared to bolster VA funding of toxic exposure health care and benefits
• Ensure regular military compensation (RMC) supports readiness and quality of life
• Resist TRICARE fee increases/maintain affordable healthcare
• Fully fund MIlTA and Impact Aid

"While the AFSA is concerned with our rapidly inclining national debt, and the effect it has on decisions that directly impact service members past and present and their families, the AFSA will oppose any cuts to government spending deemed essential to maintain readiness, improve quality of life, and support the well-being of those in the military network at-large," said Chief Executive Reed. "Moreover, the AFSA stands ready to support any spending increases that allow for the continuation, establishment, and/or expansion of benefits and programs available to those who are currently serving, have served, may decide to serve, and their families."

While the budgetary process is far from over, as the power of the purse is constitutionally held by Congress, from what we've identified thus far, the President's FY23 budget request contains many positive takeaways (within the scope of AFSA's Legislative Platform). Several are as follows:

Department of Defense (DoD)

• 4.6% Pay-Raise
• No hidden TRICARE fee increases
• Funding to support Basic Needs Allowance (BNA)
• Increase in BAH funding
• Increase in Child Care fee assistance monthly cap (to $1,700)
• $12.2B in investments in Construction and Family Housing programs
• $1.3B supporting construction of quality of life and medical facilities
• $1B for a new Red Hill Recovery Fund

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

• Largest overall budget in history ($301.4 billion, a 13.3% increase from FY22)
• 21.3% increase in funding for medical care
• $13.9B for VA mental health care
• $63 million within the VA medical care program to "increase scientific understanding of and clinical support for Veterans and health care providers regarding the potential adverse impacts from environmental exposures during military service"
• $497 million to support several Veteran suicide prevention initiatives

How the Budgetary Process Works from Here
For governmental agencies and their programs to be funded, congressional authorization committees must pass, and the President must sign, authorization bills giving agencies the legal authority to fund and operate their programs. 

Congress's first task in the annual process is to pass a budget resolution creating a framework and setting overall spending limits. The Senate and the House of Representatives will each draft their own budget resolution, which is then reconciled and merged, with each chamber voting on an identical resolution. 

The appropriations committee for each chamber divides the amount allotted for federal agency funding between 12 subcommittees. Each subcommittee is in charge of funding different functions of government. Within the scope of AFSA's operations, we primarily work with leadership and members of the House and Senate Subcommittees on Military Personnel and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon VA). 

The subcommittees conduct various hearings with agency leaders about their budget requests and draft appropriations bills setting the funding for each. 

The full House and Senate vote on their bills, merge both versions of each one, and vote on the identical version of every bill.

Each one, if passed, goes to the president for signature. 
​
Our Team is currently in the process of taking a deeper dive into the budget requests from DoD and the VA. From there, we will identify a more extensive listing of areas of support, potential shortcomings, and additional priorities that we wish to include in each respective authorization measure. As more updates unfold, our Team will keep you posted.