The Democrat-led House passed a five-bill, $383.3 billion minibus spending package Tuesday that would provide $108.4 billion in VA-Military Construction funding, according to a House Appropriations Committee press release.
The package, passed largely along party lines 227-194, provides an increase of $10.4 billion in VA-Milcon discretionary spending above the enacted fiscal year 2019 level, according to a House Appropriations Committee summary.
The VA-Milcon bill, traditionally one of the most bipartisan annual spending measures, drew heightened interest in the FY 2020 measure by also including a provision that would block President Donald Trump from redirecting DOD funding for building a southern border barrier.
“I’m thrilled that the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill strengthens our commitment to our servicemembers, their families, and our veterans – while not diverting vital military construction funding from previously approved national security projects for an unnecessary border wall,” VA-Military Construction Subcommittee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement.
The bill is unlikely remain intact through conference committee negotiations later this summer. If the bill’s provisions survive conference negotiations, the White House has threatened a veto arguing the measure spends 9% beyond the President Donald Trump’s orginal budget request. The administration also opposed the provision against using milcon funds to build a southern border barrier.
Post-Leadership, McConnell Plans to Push for More Defense Funding
When Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell steps down from his Senate leadership role after the November elections, he’ll have at least two more years in the Senate. Now he’s signaled one of his priorities as a rank-and-file Senator is to increase defense funding,...