The Senate passed an emergency funding bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs in September due to what was described to lawmakers at the time as an impending multibillion-dollar shortfall. Republicans are now questioning how dire the situation actually was at the time.

Officials from the VA told lawmakers back in July that they were facing a financial shortcoming this year and next and that veterans’ compensation and pension benefit payments, as well as their readjustment benefits, could be delayed if Congress did not move quickly to provide additional funding.