Democrats want to reclassify some Veterans Affairs spending as mandatory during the current negotiations for a fiscal 2023 omnibus, but Republicans object to the effort as a chance for Democrats to increase nondefense spending in other policy areas.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., the chair of the House Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, said Tuesday that classification of the funding as discretionary or mandatory is part of the omnibus negotiations.
“In the negotiations generally, whether or not you have it all discretionary, or some mandatory, or some combination, is part of the talks,” she said.
