WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after the committee unanimously approved the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. The measure funds veterans’ benefits and medical care, housing for military families, and construction projects to improve base infrastructure, including schools and medical facilities. The bill is now cleared for consideration on the Senate floor.

“Ensuring our veterans have the care and benefits they’ve earned is a top priority, and our appropriations process should reflect that,” Blunt said. “This measure does so by providing resources for the VA to improve access to care, support additional health services, and expedite claims processing. It also enhances military housing to improve the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families. I urge all of my Senate colleagues to support the bill when it comes to the floor.”

The committee today passed two of the 12 annual appropriations bills. Blunt has repeatedly called on the Senate to return to regular order in the appropriations process to give members an opportunity to scrutinize every dollar of spending, and ensure that it is spent wisely or not at all.

Additional information on the MilCon-VA appropriations bill is available here.