Today, Representative John Rutherford (FL-05) released the following statement after the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies reported out their Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 bill to the full House Appropriations Committee:
“This bill fulfills the FY24 President’s Budget Request for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), fully funding veterans’ health care programs, VA benefits, and other critical VA programs. Despite the Biden Administration’s baseless claims, House Republicans have delivered on our promise to care for the men and women who have served this nation.
The service and sacrifice shown by our nation’s veterans is a fundamental piece of what makes our country great. Since America’s founding, our military has defended our freedom, and I believe that the federal government should do all it can to support the countless men and women in uniform who fought to keep our country safe by providing them with the benefits they have earned.”
The FY24 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill includes a total of $337.909 billion in funding for the Department of Defense (Military Construction and Family Housing), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and related agencies. Of the total, $170.627 billion is provided as discretionary funding and $167.282 billion is provided for mandatory programs.
Of the discretionary total:
- $17.646 billion is appropriated for military construction projects.
- $152.481 billion is appropriated for VA discretionary programs, nearly $18 billion above the FY23 funding level.
Congressman Rutherford has served on the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies and Legislative Branch Subcommittee since 2019.