(Washington, D.C.) - Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard applauded the recent passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of record federal budget increases for our nation’s veterans and men and women currently serving in the armed forces.

“The significant funding increases contained in the 2008 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill truly reflect the priorities and new direction of our Democratic leadership in Congress,” Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard said.  “This measure is a major step forward in fulfilling our nation’s commitments to our service men and women who have sacrificed so much on behalf of all of us.”

The 2008 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill (H.R. 2642) passed with strong bipartisan support on June 15 by a vote of 409 to 2. The legislation increases the budget of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by $6.7 billion above the 2007 level - the largest increase in the 77-year history of the VA.  The bill is $3.8 billion above the President’s request for fiscal year 2008.

“This bill includes historic increases in federal funding to provide our veterans with the quality health care and other benefits they earned while serving in defense of our country,” Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said.  “This is especially critical for our troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan in need of VA medical care.  Under the current Administration, funding levels for veterans programs have been woefully inadequate and have resulted in diminishing services and care for our nation’s veterans.”

The congresswoman continued: “The increased funding will enable the VA to make needed repairs and upgrades to its facilities, helping to address many of the problems cited in a recent VA report that outlined 1,000 specific deficiencies at VA health facilities around the country. It will also improve veterans’ access to quality medical care by enabling the VA to hire more qualified doctors and nurses and more than 1,100 new claims processors to reduce 400,000 backlogged claims submitted by veterans waiting for disability and other benefits.”

The bill also provides $600 million for five polytrauma centers and three “Centers of Excellence” in mental health care. Polytrauma is injury to both the brain and other parts of the body that result in disability.
 
The bill provides an unprecedented $21.4 billion for military construction and family housing. The total for military construction is an increase of $207 million over the President’s request and $8.2 billion over the current fiscal year, and will provide better barracks, family housing, day care and training facilities for our service men and women.

The bill is strongly supported by veterans groups because it exceeds, for the first time, the Independent Budget prepared by veterans’ service organizations by $294 million. The measure is endorsed by several veterans groups such as the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), American Veterans (AMVETS), and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.