Cramer - Fy2017 Military Construction And Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill Improves Readiness, Increases Medical Services For Veterans
Press Release
Congressman Kevin Cramer says the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2017, which passed the House of Representatives Thursday, improves readiness and increases medical services for veterans.
H.R. 4974 provides $81.6 billion in discretionary funding to house, train, and equip military personnel, provide housing and services to military families, help maintain base infrastructure, and fund veterans' benefits and programs. This is $1.8 billion above Fiscal Year 2016 levels, and $1.2 billion below the President's budget request.
"We have an obligation to support our military," said Cramer. "This bill increases VA funding to provide greater access and improved medical services to our veterans. It includes good government provisions that increase oversight for VA programs and supports our active-duty troops and their families with improved housing and military facilities."
The bill includes an amendment that prohibits funds from being used to modify a military installation in the U.S. to provide temporary housing for unaccompanied alien children. Similar language was inserted the National Defense Authorization Bill the House passed yesterday. The Grand Forks Air Force Base was under consideration for housing unaccompanied alien children, which Cramer opposed. On January 12, Cramer met with officials from the White House, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Health and Human Services to discuss his concerns with this proposal. On February 8, Cramer announced the Grand Forks Air Force base was no longer being considered.
Also included in the bill is report language requested by Cramer directing the Veterans Administration (VA) to consider mobile units that could operate in either rural or urban underserved areas. These units would have the capacity to provide preventive and primary healthcare services, education about the availability of benefits for female veterans, and outreach.
The bill language directs the VA to provide a report to the Committee on Appropriations 60 days after the enactment of legislation. The report is to describe how a mobile medical unit program designed for women would be structured, whether the geographic concentration of female veterans makes such a program feasible, areas in the country with female veterans who currently lack access and for whom the mobile units would be appropriate, and the likely cost of a mobile unit program, including vehicles, equipment, staffing, and information technology.
"Women veterans, especially those in rural and underserved areas, have unique health challenges that mobile units could address," said Cramer of the proposal. "I look forward to advancing this concept further when the feasibility report is completed."
The major provisions of the bill are as follows:
Military Construction: The bill provides a total of $7.9 billion for military construction projects--a decrease of $305 million below the enacted Fiscal Year 2016 level and $250 million above the President's request. This includes funds for large and small construction and renovation projects on military bases within the U.S. and around the globe. Of the amount provided for military construction projects, $172 million is provided for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) projects, including European Reassurance Initiative projects.
Military Family Housing: The bill provides $1.3 billion to fund construction and operation and maintenance of military family housing for Fiscal Year 2017. This is $84 million below the Fiscal Year 2016 level and the same as the budget request. The funding will ensure quality housing is sustained for all 1.3 million military families currently served by the program.
Military Medical Facilities: The bill includes $304 million for construction and alterations for new or existing military medical facilities, which is the same level as the President's budget request, and a decrease of $303 million from the Fiscal Year 2016 enacted level. This funding will allow for continued support and care for 9.8 million eligible beneficiaries, including our wounded troops abroad.
Department of Defense (DOD) Education Facilities: The bill includes $246 million for essential safety improvements and infrastructure work at four DOD Education Activities facilities located within the U.S. and overseas.
Guard and Reserve: The bill includes $673 million for construction or alteration of Guard and Reserve facilities in 21 states, an increase of $122 million above the Fiscal Year 2016 enacted level.
NATO Security Investment Program (NSIP): The bill provides $178 million - the same as the President's request and $43 million above Fiscal Year 2016 - for infrastructure necessary for wartime, crisis, and peace support and deterrence operations, and training requirements. The funds will support responses to the challenges posed by Russia and to the risks and threats emanating from the Middle East and North Africa.
Guantanamo Bay: The legislation continues language to prohibit the closure of the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station and a provision to prohibit funding for construction of any facility within the U.S. to house Guantanamo detainees.
Veterans Affairs (VA): The bill includes a total of $176.1 billion in both discretionary and mandatory funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, an increase of $13.4 billion above the Fiscal Year 2016 level. Discretionary funding alone for VA programs in the bill totals $73.5 billion, an increase of $2.1 billion, or 3 percent, above the Fiscal Year 2016 level. Approximately $63.3 billion of this discretionary total was provided last year via advance funding in the Fiscal Year 2016 Appropriations bill. Further, in response to the Administration's request, the bill provides an additional $850 million in
Fiscal Year 2017 funding to address additional health care needs such as treatment of hepatitis C, long-term care for veterans, support services for caregivers of veterans, and to fight homelessness among veterans and their families.
Oversight: Due to troubling mismanagement reports at the VA, a recent history of wasteful spending, and to increase the efficiency and quality of care to our veterans, the legislation includes significant oversight and accountability provisions. Some of these provisions include limiting transfers between construction projects, reporting on bid savings, limiting changes in the scope of construction projects, and restricting the agency from taking certain spending actions without notifying Congress.
To stop taxpayer funded rewards to under-performing or poorly performing employees, the legislation also prohibits all VA senior executive service managers from receiving bonuses.
VA Medical Services: The bill funds VA medical services at $52.5 billion -- providing for approximately 7.0 million patients to be treated in Fiscal Year 2017. Within this total, funding includes: $7.8 billion in mental health care services; $164 million in suicide prevention activities; $284 million for traumatic brain injury treatment; $7.2 billion in homeless veterans treatment, services, housing, and job training; and $250 million in rural health initiatives.
VA Electronic Health Record: The bill contains $260 million for the modernization of the Veterans Affairs electronic health record system. To help ensure our veterans get proper care through the timely and accurate exchange of medical data between VA, DOD, and the private sector, the bill includes language restricting funding until the VA demonstrates progress on the system's functionality and interoperability of the system with DOD, and requires that the VA meet milestones regarding functionality and management.
Disability Claims Processing Backlog: The bill provides $180 million for the paperless claims processing system, $153 million for digital scanning of health records, and $27 million for centralized mail. In addition, the bill continues rigorous reporting requirements to track each regional office's performance on claims processing. The bill also includes funding of $156 million, a $46 million increase over the Fiscal Year 2016 level, for the Board of Veterans Appeals to support 242 new staff to tackle claims appeals and other needs resulting from the progress in reducing the claims backlog.
Construction: Major and minor construction within the VA is funded at approximately $900 million, as requested by the Administration. The bill continues the requirement that a non-VA entity manage VA construction projects that cost over $100 million, and provides funding for the purpose.
VA Mandatory Funding: The bill fulfills mandatory funding requirements such as: veteran disability compensation programs for 4.8 million veterans and their survivors; education benefits for nearly 1.1 million veterans; and vocational rehabilitation and employment training for more than 140,000 veterans.
Advance Appropriations: The bill contains $66.4 billion in advance Fiscal Year 2018 funding for veterans' medical programs--the same level as the President's request. This funding will provide for medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities, and ensure that our veterans have continued, full access to their medical care needs. The bill includes $103.9 billion in advance funding for VA mandatory benefit programs, as requested in the President's budget.
Related Agencies: The bill includes $241.1 million for related agencies funded in the bill. Agencies funded under this title include the American Battle Monuments Commission, the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and Civil Cemeterial Expenses, which includes Arlington National Cemetery and the Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery.
The Department of Veterans Affairs serves approximately 48.3 million people or 14.8 percent of the total estimated resident population of the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as 21.7 million veterans and 26.6 million family members of living veterans or survivors of deceased veterans. The VA employs 350,000 people, making it one of the largest federal agencies in terms of employment.
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