To ensure that payments during fiscal year 1996 of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities, of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of such veterans, and of other veterans benefits, and payments to Department of Veterans Affairs contractors providing services directly related to patient health and safety, are made regardless of Government financial shortfalls.
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that: (1) in any case during FY 1996 in which appropriations are not otherwise available for programs, projects, and activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, payments of existing veterans' benefits and payments to contractors of the Veterans Health Administration for patient health and safety services are still made; and (2) in any case during FY 1996 in which certain Government functions are delayed, deferred, or canceled due to a limitation on the ability to borrow funds, payments of existing veterans' benefits are still made.
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.