By Congressman Tom Cole
Since becoming president, Donald Trump has consistently vowed to rebuild our national defense and to improve the services we render to our veterans. Last week, the House of Representatives took the first step for helping the president make good on that promise. When it comes to funding veterans’ programs, our nation spends more on veterans than any other country in the world. Each year, Congress is responsible for maintaining that funding, and just this past week, the bill to fund the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and military construction was introduced in the House. It includes funding for VA health programs, oversight measures, facility development and construction, as well as funding for the numerous military construction projects across the country.
The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MILCON/VA) bill is one of the twelve bills that will fund the government for fiscal year 2018 (FY 2018). This will fund military hospitals, family housing, and training and operational facilities just to name a few. These projects are essential to the well-being of our service members, and the continued readiness of military installations. Reflecting on our commitment to service members and their families, this legislation provides $10.2 billion, which is a $2.1 billion increase over current funding. Oklahoma continues to see military construction dollars come to the state for the KC-46A Tanker program and $4.9 million was included in this bill.
Also included in this legislation is $78.6 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is an increase of almost $4 billion over current levels. Of the total amount, $69 billion is for medical support, traumatic brain injury treatment, mental health care, homeless veteran treatment, opioid abuse prevention and rural health initiatives. There is a substantial amount of funding set aside for oversight and accountability, to help veterans book appointments, receive timely services and quality care. It will also help reduce the backlog of disability claims and cut through the red tape that veterans face in getting their claims settled. Further, it will support the construction of medical facilities, so that they are up to date and accessible for veterans’ needs. A measure to put aside funds for the modernization of health records will be included, which will help with the transfer of data between VA centers, the Department of Defense and private entities.
Congress has no more basic responsibility than providing the resources necessary to support our soldiers and veterans. The legislation put forth last week reflects that priority, and I look forward to supporting in when it comes to vote on the floor of the House.
