Senate Committee Questions Shinseki's VA Budget Request

Before a congressional hearing Monday, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki requested a $152.7 billion department budget for fiscal year 2014, including $3.683 billion for information technology systems.

Some committee members, however, voiced concern over the request, citing the dilatory pace at which the department has moved toward an integrated electronic health record and recent decline in VA productivity. 

The total requested budget reflects a $2.7 billion increase (4.3 percent) from FY 2013. For information technology, the budget represents a $359 million increase from FY 2013.