U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

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19–012 2003

108th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 108–102

FY 2003 APPROPRIATION LAW CHANGE AND FY 2004 

BUDGET AMENDMENT

COMMUNICATION

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

TRANSMITTING

REQUESTS TO CHANGE FY 2003 APPROPRIATIONS LAW AND AN 

FY 2004 BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

JULY 17, 2003.—Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered 

to be printed


E:\Seals\Congress.#13
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THE WHITE HOUSE, 

Washington, July 15, 2003. 

Hon. J. DENNIS HASTERT, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives, 

Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I ask the Congress to consider the enclosed 

requests to change FY 2003 appropriations law and an FY 2004 

budget amendment for the Department of Veterans Affairs, none of 

which will affect budget levels. 

The details of these requests are set forth in the enclosed letter 

from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. 

Sincerely, 

GEORGE W. BUSH.

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[Estimate No. 13, 108th Cong., 1st Sess.] 

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, 

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, 

Washington, DC, July 14, 2003. 

The PRESIDENT, The White House. 

Submitted for your consideration are two proposed changes to FY 

2003 appropriations law, as well as a related FY 2004 budget 

amendment for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Your proposed budget totals would not be affected by these requests. 

This transmittal includes language that would increase the statutory loan limit for VA’s Native American veteran housing loan 

program account from $5 million to $40 million. Low interest rates 

have created more demand for new construction loans and refinancing of existing loans than originally projected. The current $5 

million statutory loan limitation placed on the program by P.L. 

108–7, the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003, in insufficient to meet this current demand. Absent this requested adjustment, VA cannot issue any new loans for the remainder of FY 

2003. 

Also included is an FY 2003 request, as well as an FY 2004 

budget amendment, that would allow VA to conduct cost comparison studies using appropriated funds to ensure that services, such 

as laundry and food services, are delivered to veterans at the lowest possible cost without compromising quality of service. 

I have carefully reviewed these proposals and am satisfied that 

they are necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the Secretary of 

Veterans Affairs in recommending that you transmit these proposals to the Congress. 

Sincerely, 

JOSHUA B. BOLTEN, 

Director. 

Enclosures.

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FY 2003 Proposal 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION

NATIVE AMERICAN VETERAN HOUSING LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Under the heading, ‘‘Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program Account,’’ in title I, division K of Public Law 108–7, delete 

‘‘$5,000,000’’ and insert ‘‘$40,000,000’’.

This request would increase the statutory loan limit for this program from $5 million to $40 million to allow the Department of 

Veterans Affairs (VA) to continue issuing direct loans. The loan 

limitation was placed on the program in P.L. 108–7, the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003, for the first time in the history of this program. 

With mortgage rates at historical lows, Native American veterans have been obtaining interest rate reduction refinancing loans 

in record numbers, and the number of origination loans has also 

increased. The statutory limitation of $5 million is insufficient to 

meet the current demand. Absent the proposed loan limit adjustment, VA cannot issue any new loans for the remainder of FY 

2003. No additional credit subsidy budget authority is required. 

The proposed budget totals would not be affected by this request. 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

MEDICAL CARE

Under the heading, ‘‘Medical Care,’’ in title I, division K of Public 

Law 108–7, insert the following after the second proviso: ‘‘Provided 

further, That of the funds made available under this heading, not 

to exceed $25,000,000 is to fund cost comparison studies authorized 

by 38 U.S.C. 8110(a)(5):’’. 

This request would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to 

conduct cost comparison studies using already appropriated funds 

to ensure that services, such as laundry and food services, are delivered to veterans at the lowest possible cost without compromising quality of service. 

The proposed budget totals would not be affected by this request. 

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FY 2004 Budget Amendment 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

MEDICAL PROGRAMS

MEDICAL CARE

FY 2004 Budget Appendix Page: 809

FY 2004 Pending Request: $25,406,024,000

Proposed Amendment: Language 

Revised Request: $25,406,024,000

(In the appropriations language under the above heading, insert 

the following before the period at the end of the first sentence:)

; and of which not to exceed $50,000,000 shall be available to fund 

cost comparison studies authorized by 38 U.S.C. 8110(a)(5) 

This request would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to 

conduct cost comparison studies and allow appropriated funds to be 

used for such purposes to ensure that services, such as laundry and 

food services, are delivered to veterans at the lowest possible cost 

without compromising quality of service. 

The proposed budget totals would not be affected by this request.