Rep. Kirkpatrick Secures Southern Arizona Victories in FY2022 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Funding Bill

Press Release

(Tucson, AZ) -- Today, Rep. Kirkpatrick announces funding victories from the FY2022 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill. The legislation funds Military Construction projects and veterans' benefits, health care, and other programs. The House Appropriations Committee today approved the fiscal year 2022 Financial Services and General Government funding bill on a 33 to 24 vote.

For fiscal year 2022, the bill provides $279.9 billion, an increase of $28.1 billion -- more than 10 percent -- above 2021. Of this amount, discretionary funding for programs such as veterans' health care and Military Construction totals $124.5 billion, an increase of $11.4 billion above 2021. The legislation:

Supports our veterans with investments in health care, including targeted investments that advance women's health, mental health, and homelessness assistance
Rebuilds our infrastructure with strong investments to construct critical facilities on military installations including family housing and child care centers, and build, repair, and retrofit Veterans Affairs facilities
Protects our national security with investments to respond to the challenges posed by Russian and Chinese aggression
Confronts the climate crisis with increased climate change and resiliency funding to help military installations adapt to rising sea levels and worsening natural disasters
Rep. Kirkpatrick's priorities were included in this legislation.

The bill provides $13.4 million to fully fund the South Wilmot Gate at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, providing better security for the base, enabling better traffic flow surrounding the base, and reducing the risk of vehicle accidents.
Furthermore, the legislation includes language to encourage the Air Force to accelerate funding for access control point construction projects in large urban settings such as Tucson Air National Guard Base.
"I am proud to support this vital legislation that strengthens our national security and fulfills our commitments to servicemembers, veterans and their families," said Rep. Kirkpatrick. "This bill provides critical resources to our military installations to include increased funding for child development centers and family housing. Additionally, the bill puts care for our veterans at the forefront by increasing funding for mental healthcare, gender-specific care and homeless assistance programs."

Language: Access Control Points.-The Committee encourages the Air Force to accelerate funding for current access control point construction projects at installations that face high-security risks to critical missions and to prioritize funding for access control points in heavily congested areas in large urban settings that place major transportation links at risk of incident closures or that are required for heavy traffic hazard mitigation, airport security and installation force protection.

"This bill demonstrates a strong commitment to our servicemembers, their families and our Veterans," Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-23) said. "It addresses military infrastructure and readiness needs of current servicemembers and provides the benefits and medical care that Veterans duly earned in their service to our Nation. The bill specifically targets military housing and child care needs, women's and mental health priorities, and the climate crisis, while responding to threats emanating from Russian and Chinese aggression. It's a blueprint to make our VA and military stronger and more responsive to all those who proudly protect America, now and in the past."

"This legislation meets our solemn, Constitutional responsibility to provide for our nation's veterans," Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. "Our veterans have risked their lives to keep our nation safe, and whether they are still fighting or returning home, it is our duty to make sure these brave men and women and their families have the support and the care they need. As our military and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continue to overcome unprecedented challenges associated with COVID-19, we have a responsibility to make certain that they are supported. This critical legislation helps meet the mental and physical needs of our veterans and protects our national security with robust investments to fund military construction projects. With resources for housing, child care, and medical care, suicide prevention, and homelessness assistance, this bill focuses on the areas vital to our veterans and their families that make daily sacrifices in service of our country."

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:

Rep. Wasserman Schultz -- The manager's amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

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