H.R. 7260 would require the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) to report to the Congress each year on its activities. It also would make changes to veteran and survivor pensions.
NCA report. The required report would include several elements, such as the total number of interments by cemetery, upcoming construction projects, and information on certain grants made by the NCA. NCA already provides much of the required information publicly and tracks most of the other elements. However, NCA would have to modify some data systems to capture all the information that would be required by the bill. On the basis of information about the cost of updating similar systems, CBO estimates that making those changes would cost $2 million. CBO estimates producing the annual report would cost less than $500,000 over the 2026-2036 period. In total, satisfying the bill’s reporting requirements would cost $2 million over the 2026-2036 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Table 1. Estimated Budgetary Effects of H.R. 7260
By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035
2036
2026-2031
2026-2036
Decreases (-) in Direct Spending
Estimated Budget Authority
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-5
0
0
0
0
-5
Estimated Outlays
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-5
0
0
0
0
-5
Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation
Estimated Authorization
*
2
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
2
2
Estimated Outlays
*
2
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
2
2
* = between zero and $500,000
Veteran and Survivor Pensions. The bill also would make changes to veteran and survivor pensions. Under current law, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reduces pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes to $90 per month. That required reduction expires January 31, 2033. H.R. 7260 would extend that reduction for five months, through June 30, 2033. CBO estimates that extending that requirement would reduce VA benefits by $2 million per month. As a result of that reduction in beneficiaries’ income, Medicaid would pay more of the cost of their care, increasing spending for that program by $1 million per month. Medicaid and VA pensions are paid from mandatory funds. Thus, enacting the provision would reduce net direct spending by $5 million over the 2026-2036 period.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Logan Smith. The estimate was reviewed by Christina Hawley Anthony, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
