House Passes Fiscal Year 2014 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill

Press Release

The House today approved the fiscal year 2014 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill (H.R. 2216).

The bill provides the nation's military with the infrastructure needed to house, train, and equip military personnel, provides for the quality of life of our troops and their families, and maintains our strong military base structure. It also funds veterans' benefits and programs to ensure that all veterans receive needed services.

The legislation includes $73.3 billion in discretionary funding, which is $1.4 billion above the enacted level for fiscal year 2013, and approximately $2.4 billion above the current level caused by automatic sequestration spending cuts, which do not affect Veterans spending. This level is nearly $1.4 billion below the President's request for these programs.

"Given our tight budget, my Committee has and will continue to prioritize funding in areas of the highest national need -- our security and enforcement of law," Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers said, "This bill is a truly bipartisan effort to fund critical Department of Defense programs to give our service men and women the quality of life they deserve -- including hospitals, schools, and family housing -- and provide our veterans with the benefits and care they have earned for their service." Rogers said.

Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Subcommittee Chairman John Culberson also commented on his bill:

"The funding provided continues our longstanding tradition of bipartisan support of our military, our veterans, and their families. It makes significant strides to save taxpayer dollars wherever possible without impacting our troops or vets, and will help streamline operations to ensure those that have served our country are getting their benefits in a timely and appropriate fashion," Chairman Culberson said.

The legislation was approved by the House on a vote of 421-4.

For a list of adopted amendments to H.R. 2216, please visit: http://appropriations.house.gov/UploadedFiles/06.04.13_FY_2014_Military_Construction_and_Veterans_Affairs_Bill_-_Floor_Adopted_Amendments.pdf

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