Conference Report on H.R. Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019
Floor Speech
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Mr. CARTER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to congratulate Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Lowey for their incredible patience and deft negotiating to bring us to this point. I also want to thank Ranking Member Debbie Wasserman Schultz for her rock-solid support and keen analytic eye. I also think we need to remember Mr. Charlie Dent, who retired early from this committee. He was the chairman and had a strong hand in the product that came out here today.
I am pleased to describe for my colleagues the good news in the Military Construction-VA division of the minibus.
We are able to provide long overdue support to our military and their family members, with a total of $10.3 billion for military construction, which is an increase of $241 million, or 2.4 percent, above FY18 levels. With that funding, we are able to provide $465.3 million for the Guard and Reserve components' projects in 20 States and territories, $352 million for two medical facilities, $267.5 million for five DOD schools, and just over $8 billion for military construction projects in the U.S.
Members will appreciate that we are able to provide $693.2 million in unfunded requirements requested by the services, which includes $100 million for upgrades for antiterrorism and force protection at military installations.
The bill also includes $921.4 million in OCO funding, an increase of $171 million over FY18.
Our bill fulfills Congress' commitment to our Nation's veterans with total discretionary funding of $86.5 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, a $5 billion, or 6.2 percent, increase over 2018. These funds provide important medical services to veterans, to include supporting the new and expanding programs resulting from the recently passed MISSION Act, as well as disability compensation, post-9/11 education benefits, and a host of insurance and lending programs.
Of note, we were able to provide $1.1 billion for the new electronic health record contract, the same record as DOD's, which will allow the exchange of veterans' health records with DOD and community providers.
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Mr. CARTER of Texas. In addition, consistent with the budget caps agreement, the bill includes $2 billion in medical infrastructure assistance: nonrecurring maintenance, seismic improvement activities, major construction, and minor construction.
I urge an ``aye'' vote on the package. Help us do the right thing for our servicemembers and veterans and their families who have given so much.
I would also be remiss in not thanking all those involved in the committee work to get this bill forward. I am very grateful we had a conference.
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