House Advances $108B VA-Milcon Bill

June 23, 2019

The Democrat-led House appeared on track to pass a $108 billion fiscal 2020 VA-Military Construction bill after quickly moving through a number of amendments Friday and ending floor debate on the measure, CQ reported.
A summary of the bill, which is part of a larger five-bill, $383.3 billion minibus package, would provide:

  • $10.5 billion for military construction projects, $207 million more than enacted for FY 2019.
  • $1.5 billion for construction, operation and maintenance of military family housing. The funding is $117.8 million below FY 2019 levels and $140.8 million above DOD’s budget request.
  • $217.5 billion in discretionary and mandatory VA funding, an increase of $20.3 billion above FY 2019.
  • $94.3 billion in VA discretionary spending alone, $7.7 billion above FY 2019.
  • $80.4 billion in total VA medical care funding, including: $9.5 billion for mental health; $222 million for suicide prevention; $582 million for women’s health; $1.9 billion for homeless assistance programs; $397 million for opioid abuse prevention; and $270 million in rural health initiatives.

The full five-bill minibus spending package faces little chance of surviving intact, however, as the GOP-led Senate and Trump administration disagree with the House on overall discretionary spending levels.

June 23, 2019

Recent News

In Our Communities

In Our Communities

Recent events have given children a chance to see what a military career would look like, as Stars and Stripes reported, highlighting hands-on experiences at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey and in New Bern, North Carolina, near Marine Corps Air Station...

DOD Names 2024 Environmental Awardees

DOD Names 2024 Environmental Awardees

DOD announced this week the winners of the Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards for 2024, recognizing “installations, teams and individuals for their exceptional achievements in effective environmental management strategies that enhance installation resilience...

PAST STORIES