VA Secretary Robert McDonald told the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee in a memo that his department has identified $150 million it could funnel to the project from this year’s budget to keep the work moving, but Congress must first raise the spending limit by $200 million to $1 billion.

The spending limit is separate from the $730 million the VA has asked Congress to appropriate to finish the project.

McDonald also told the committee the VA was willing to scale back the project, delaying construction of a nursing home and post-traumatic stress rehabilitation unit. His memo didn’t say how much money that would save.

If Congress doesn’t raise the spending limit by May 24, builder Kiewit-Turner will stop work, further delaying the project, McDonald said. Some subcontractors would likely refuse to return, causing even longer delays, he said.