Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
Floor Speech
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Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chair, I rise today to express my continued and resolute opposition to the fiscal year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act in its current form.
I represent a district that is home to Robins Air Force Base, Fort Benning, and Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany. These installations are more than just military sites. They are the backbone of communities where servicemembers live, raise families, and eventually retire to continue serving in civilian life.
Because of this, I have a deep and personal understanding of the needs of our servicemembers, veterans, and their families. I can say unequivocally that this bill fails them.
Our veterans deserve better. Our military families deserve better. Frankly, all of us deserve a bill that reflects our shared commitment to the men and women who wear and have worn the uniform.
National defense is not just about weapons and strategy. It is about people, and this bill, as currently written, does not prioritize the needs of our people. Instead, it is laced with ideological provisions drawn from Project 2025, prioritizing political ambition over the well- being of those who have dedicated their lives to serving this country.
Let me be clear. Healthcare for veterans should not be an ideological battlefield. Yet, this bill accelerates the shift to privatized care at a time when we should be investing in the VA system itself.
Veterans overwhelmingly want to be treated in VA hospitals and clinics, facilities tailored to their unique needs and staffed by professionals who understand the physical, emotional, and psychological cost of service. Instead of fortifying these institutions, the bill undermines them.
Community care is an important tool, but it must remain just that, a supplement, not a substitute. Veterans should be referred to community care only when the VA cannot meet their needs, not as part of a systematic effort to privatize the entire system.
Occam's razor reminds us that the simplest explanation is often the correct one. Here, the simplest explanation for this unprecedented increase in outsourced care is a broader goal to dismantle the VA system itself, aligning with Project 2025's dangerous objective to privatize veterans' healthcare. The consequences of this cannot be overstated.
Equally troubling is the underfunding of military construction, particularly housing and childcare. These are not luxuries. They are necessities. A stable home and quality childcare are foundational to military readiness. When we fail to provide for the families of our servicemembers, we degrade morale, retention, and focus.
We cannot expect excellence from our Armed Forces if we do not support the very people who make excellence possible.
This bill does not build trust. It erodes it. Trust in our government, our institutions, and our promises is what holds the fabric of this Nation together.
This legislation should be a reflection of our values. It should speak to our priorities. It should say to every servicemember, veteran, and military family: We see you. We value you. We will not let you down.
Instead, it cuts where we should invest. It deregulates where we need oversight. Perhaps most egregiously, it sows division where we desperately need unity.
This is not a partisan issue. It is an American issue. We must rise above ideology to meet this moment with courage and clarity.
I urge every one of my colleagues, especially those who may view this bill as just another line item, to pause and consider the real impact these decisions have on the people we are sworn to serve. Let their needs, not political blueprints, be our North Star today. We must do better.
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