Lawmaker urges House to pass Military Construction, Veterans Affairs appropriations bill

A House lawmaker urged colleagues on the floor to pass the fiscal 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, saying the measure "fully fund[s] veterans health care and benefits" and commits resources to military readiness and veterans' services.

The speaker told members the bill funds critical mental-health and suicide-prevention efforts, invests in improvements at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, and supports maintenance of military cemeteries and monuments. The lawmaker also said the measure strengthens base posture through military construction projects, including barracks and installation upgrades intended to support readiness in an increasingly complex security environment.

"We fully fund veterans health care and benefits," the lawmaker said, adding that the bill supports family housing, child care and other quality-of-life needs for military families. The speaker framed those elements as part of "the full foundation of American security."

The lawmaker credited Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz for their roles in writing the measure and said the bill earned unanimous support in the full committee because its priorities focus on supporting service members and veterans. A second House lawmaker, referenced in the proceedings as the gentleman from Oklahoma, used an additional minute to describe the proposal as "strong and bipartisan" and urged members to vote yes, calling a favorable vote "a statement that America does not forget."

The remarks on the floor did not include a recorded vote in the provided transcript; lawmakers urged colleagues to support the bill as it moved forward.