Veterans' Health Care & Military Construction Appropriations Passes House

Today, the House passed the FY 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill (HR 3082) by a vote of 415 to 3 to fund critical veterans health services and the construction of facilities for training and housing our military. The bill will strengthen quality health care for more than six million patients -- including 419,000 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill also provides advance funds for veterans health services in 2011, so that funding for our veterans' health care is timely and reliable. Learn more about the bill>>

Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX), Chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee:

This bill sends a clear message to America's servicemen and women, their families, and our veterans that we deeply respect their service and sacrifice. With passage of this bill, Congress has provided a 58 percent increase in funding for veterans health care and benefits since January 2007. In addition we have a new 21st Century GI Education bill that now also transfers this important benefit to the children of those service members who have died while serving our country. This is an unprecedented increase in Congress' commitment to veterans, and in my book, our veterans have earned every dime of this funding.

This funding has resulted in a total increase of 8,300 claims processors, 145 community-based outpatient clinics, 70 Vet Centers, and more than 47,000 additional Veterans Health Administration employees. These additional resources will provide our veterans with their benefits more quickly and improve access to health care and other services. Congress has also funded several initiatives to improve the quality of life for our military and their families to include: $2.8 billion for new military hospitals, $1 billion for new child care centers to serve 20,000 military children, and $570 million in additional funding for barracks.

Speaker Pelosi:

Ensuring that the needs of our veterans are met is a top priority of this Congress. We honor their service and sacrifice by investing in health care for those who have worn our nation's uniform and the construction of key facilities for training and housing our military.

With passage of this bill, the New Direction Congress has provided a 58 percent increase in funding for veterans' health care and benefits since January 2007.

I am pleased that this legislation also includes advance appropriations for 2011. This ensures timely and predictable funding for the veterans' health care initiatives upon which so many Americans depend.

Just last weekend, on July 4th, we celebrated the freedom that is uniquely available to us as Americans. Today we have honored our troops and our veterans who ensure this freedom with real investments in their well-being.