Protecting the veterans, people who risked their lives to protect American freedoms, should be a top priority for the whole country. The budget increase for the VA for the 2024 fiscal year gives the VA the funds it needs to support veterans in the crucial areas most affecting their lives. 

One of the top concerns for the VA is the high rate of veteran #suicide. This epidemic is a priority for VA officials. According to one report, between 2005 and 2017, 78,875 veterans took their own lives. The rate at which #veterans are taking their own lives is an epidemic the whole country should be fighting to deal with. 

Part of the 2024 FY budget increase is delegated to mental health services that go directly to suicide prevention programs. Without an increase in the availability and quality of mental health services, there is little hope for for decreasing the rate of veteran suicide. 

The vast increase in VA funding allows for existing programs to be improved and allows for the VA as a whole to be brought into the 21st century with better technological advances. This is a budget increase that the VA could not do without. The health systems and staffing levels of the VA have fallen behind, and, as a result, veterans suffer from long wait times, lack of access to the best healthcare solutions, and difficulty reaching staff at the VA center. 

Women’s health will also be dramatically improved with the budget increase. The health care of female veterans is vastly overlooked. This budget increase would allow for women to receive many of the primary care services that they need and deserve. 

The approved additional funding for the VA is an important budget increase that will have lasting and positive effects on veterans across the nation. The increase takes steps towards better care, more advanced technology, and most importantly, more resources to combat the high rate of veteran suicide.