Van Hollen Statement on the FY 2012 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill

Statement

I thank Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Bishop for bringing the FY 2012 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill to the floor today. This bill provides funding that is critical to the strength and the well-being of our military, and supports the education and training of our veterans, construction of Department of Defense hospitals, schools and family housing.

The bill provides a total of $143.9 billion in FY 2012, of which $69.5 billion is mandatory funding for pensions and other benefits administered by the Veterans Benefit Administration. This funding will support service-connected compensation programs that help an estimated 4 million veterans, survivors and dependents and makes pension payments to 507,000 veterans and survivors.

The bill also provides $60.2 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and $14 billion for military construction and family housing. This includes funds for inpatient care and treatment of beneficiaries in 152 hospitals, 101 domiciliary residential rehabilitation treatment programs, 133 nursing homes, 300 Vet Centers, 50 mobile Vet Centers and 807 outpatient clinics, which include independent, satellite, community-based and rural outreach clinics.

Our nation's service-members and veterans and their families deserve the best quality care and support available. This measure helps to fund the programs and benefits they have earned for their service and sacrifice.

I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of the bill.

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