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Republican lawmakers are raising questions about a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) that says repealing ObamaCare would increase the deficit. The report says repeal would add $137 billion to the deficit over 10 years — a huge sum that could complicate the GOP’s response to the looming Supreme Court King v. Burwell ruling on the healthcare law, which is expected as early as Thursday. (Sullivan, 6/25)

The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday advanced a $153 billion bill funding the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Education and Labor for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. It marks the first time in six years the full committee advanced a funding measure for those departments, which would receive $3.7 billion less than current funding levels and $14.6 billion less than President Obama’s request for fiscal 2016. (Shabad, 6/24)

For three years, more than $43 million the Department of Veterans Affairs had set aside to inform veterans about their benefits sat in an account, not a penny spent, until an agency financial manager happened to notice. By then, it may have become too late for the cash-strapped agency to spend the money, a new report says. Acting Inspector General Richard Griffin’s audit comes as top VA officials prepare to tell House lawmakers Thursday that they’re facing a $2.6 billion budget shortfall that’s partly responsible for a new explosion in wait times for medical care. Senior leaders say they may have to start a hiring freeze or furlough employees unless funding is reallocated for the federal government’s second-largest department. (Rein, 6/25)