Congresswoman Budzinski Questions VA's $17 Billion Oracle Contract Increase Amid Program Delays and Budget Concerns
Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) has challenged U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence regarding an additional $17 billion allocation to Oracle for the Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program. This new funding would raise the total contract value to over $27 billion, significantly exceeding the original $10 billion agreement from 2018. Budzinski, who serves as Ranking Member of the Technology Modernization Subcommittee, expressed concerns during a House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing about the program's failure to meet its 2022 promise of being on-time and on-budget. She highlighted that this increased spending on Oracle comes as the administration proposes cuts to SNAP and Medicaid, questioning the prioritization of funds. Budzinski also noted Oracle's reported record fiscal year 2026 revenue of $67.4 billion, despite the company citing 'unanticipated complexities' for the cost overruns. In response to these issues, Budzinski voted with her colleague... 
