Udall Honors His Committment to America's Veterans

Press Release

U.S. Representative Tom Udall, D-N.M., today voted to provide $3.4 billion more than the Bush Administration requested for military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill includes funding to improve military housing, expand veterans' healthcare, and house homeless veterans.

Said Udall, "The legislation we passed today is more than a list of numbers; it is a statement of values. By passing this legislation, we showed that we value the service of our men and women in uniform. We showed that we will honor the commitment we made to care for them as they serve and when their service is over."

The Military Construction/VA bill contains:

* Additional funding to modernize training facilities and make military housing more available and comfortable for our servicemembers and their families;
* Large increases in support for the VA, including funds to hire 1,400 new claims processors to reduce the backlog in VA claims;
* Language requiring the VA to provide help to veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental illnesses; and,
* A boost in resources for the Office of the Inspector General to ensure that our veterans are receiving the treatment they deserve.

The funding also includes $18.1 million, secured by Udall, to construct a C-130 aircraft maintenance hangar at Cannon Air Force Base. Currently, no facility exists at Cannon that can fully accommodate C-130 maintenance operations. This facility will provide the aircraft maintenance that will be needed for the 28 C-130 aircraft scheduled to be based at Cannon by 2011. It also includes $8.3 million to construct a Special Operations Forces Mission Rehearsal Training Facility to support the new CV-22 mission rehearsal and crew upgrade training. This facility is needed to achieve combat readiness for CV-22 aircrews, and to prevent the CV-22 full motion simulator being put into storage.

"The men and women of Cannon are an important part of America's national defense," said Udall, "and I am committed to getting them the resources they need. The legislation we approved today will help to keep Cannon strong for years to come."

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Udall worked with the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (VA), Representative Chet Edwards (TX), to ensure that Cannon received funding through this appropriations bill. This $26.4 million for Cannon comes on top of the $8 million Cannon will receive as the result of supplemental appropriations legislation that Udall supported in June.

"Tom showed me how important Cannon is for our national defense and for Eastern New Mexico," said Edwards. "I'm pleased that this bill will enable Cannon to fulfill its mission."

Last year, Udall supported $11.8 billion in increases for veterans' healthcare. He also supported the largest VA increase in the 77-year history of the VA. Prior to the 110th Congress, Udall served for eight years on the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

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