WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement today blasting Senate Democrats for blocking the FY2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations conference report. The measure funds veterans benefits and medical care, housing for military families, and construction projects to improve base infrastructure, including schools and medical facilities.

“Our nation’s veterans have sacrificed too much for this country to have their health care and benefits blocked by Democrats’ political posturing,” Blunt said. “The conference agreement Democrats voted against today provides record funding for veterans. The agreement provides a $2.9 billion increase over last year’s funding level for the VA, which is a four percent increase for VA programs to improve access to care, support additional health services, and assist homeless veterans. The agreement also includes critical funding for Missouri defense and intelligence priorities, including the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency west headquarters in St. Louis and the construction of a new fire station at Fort Leonard Wood. Finally, the bill enhances military housing to improve the quality of life for our service members and their families. I urge Senate Democrats to reconsider their opposition, and honor the commitments we’ve made to our military families and all those who have served.”

Following Are Some of the Key MilCon/VA Priorities Democrats Voted Against, Courtesy of the Appropriations Committee:

Military Family Housing – $1.3 billion for construction, operation and maintenance of military family housing for FY2017. The funding will ensure quality housing is sustained for the nearly 1.4 million military families currently served by the program.

Military Medical Facilities – $349.8 million for construction or alteration of military medical facilities.  This funding will allow for continued support and care for 9.8 million eligible beneficiaries, including wounded U.S. troops abroad.

Department of Defense (DoD) Education Facilities – $272 million for essential safety improvements and infrastructure work at four military school facilities located within the United States and overseas.

Guard and Reserve – $673 million to support the construction needs of the Guard and Reserve, an increase of $122 million above the FY2016 enacted level.

Veterans Affairs (VA) – The legislation includes $176.9 billion in both discretionary and mandatory funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, an increase of $14.2 billion above the FY2016 level.  These resources will provide the services and care earned by veterans through their loyal and dedicated service to the nation. Discretionary funding for VA programs totals $74.4 billion, $2.9 billion or 4 percent above the FY2016 enacted level.  The bill makes an additional $1.3 billion in medical care funding available FY2017 to improve patient access to care, and to support additional health care services including hepatitis C treatments, veterans’ caregiver services, and homeless veterans’ assistance.

VA Medical Care – $65 billion to support treatment and care for approximately 9.2 million patients in FY2017.  The bill outlines:  $7.2 billion for the new Medical Community Care account to provide non-VA care; $1.5 billion for the treatment of Hepatitis C; $675 million for medical and prosthetic research; $535 million for health care specifically for women veterans; $5.7 billion to care for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans; $284 million for traumatic brain injury treatment; $735 million for the Caregivers Program; and $250 million for rural health initiatives.

VA Electronic Health Record – $260 million for continued modernization of the VA electronic health record system.  The bill includes language restricting the use of this funding until the VA demonstrates functional improvements in the interoperability of a system to seamlessly exchange veterans’ medical data among the VA, DOD and the private sector.

Disability Claims Processing – $180 million for the paperless claims processing system, $143 million for digital scanning of health records, and $27 million for centralized mail.  To prompt greater national and regional progress in reducing VA claims backlogs, the bill maintains strict reporting requirements.

Construction – $900 million for major and minor construction associated with VA hospital replacement, continued correction of seismic deficiencies, scores of projects to improve access to VA health care, and the VA’s National Cemeteries. 

VA Mandatory Funding – $103.9 billion in advance FY2018 funding for veterans’ mandatory benefits.  The bill fulfills mandatory funding requirements such as:  veteran disability compensation programs for 4.4 million veterans and 405,000 survivors; education benefits for nearly 1.1 million veterans; guaranteed home loans for 429,000 veterans; and vocational rehabilitation and employment training for more than 141,000 veterans.

Advance Appropriations – $66.4 billion in advance FY2018 funding for veterans’ medical programs, the same level as the President’s request, to support VA medical services, medical community care, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities.