Today, the Full Committee met to consider the Fiscal Year 2024 bill for the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. The measure was approved by the Committee with a vote of 34 to 27.

The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill includes a total of $317.441 billion in funding for the Department of Defense (Military Construction and Family Housing), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and related agencies. Of the total, $155.701 billion is provided as discretionary funding, and $161.740 billion is provided for mandatory programs. Of the discretionary total, $17.474 billion is for Department of Defense military construction projects, nearly $800 million above the President’s Budget Request. The bill also fully funds the Department of Veterans Affairs for Fiscal Year 2024 by appropriating $137.755 billion in discretionary funding in addition to the $20.268 billion included in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 for the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund. It also includes a total of $471.7 million for the four related agencies.

Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Bill

• Honors our commitment to veterans by:
  • Fully funding veterans’ health care programs; and
  • Fully funding veterans’ benefits and VA programs, including the electronic health record modernization initiative.
• Supports a strong national security by:
  • Providing nearly $800 million above the President’s Budget Request for military construction, focusing investments in the Pacific theater, barracks, and other quality-of-life projects; and
  • Maintaining two provisions prohibiting the closure or realignment of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
• Focuses the Executive Branch on its core responsibilities by:
  • Including new provisions prohibiting funds to lobby Congress, promote or advance critical race theory, and carry out divisive Executive Orders.

A summary of the bill is available here.

During the markup, Committee Republicans refused amendments offered by the Democrats that would have:

• Dropped longstanding provisions prohibiting the closure of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and the use of military construction funds to build a detention center in the United States or territories, which would have allowed the transfer of dangerous terrorists to U.S. soil.
• Funded unnecessary and polarizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
• Promoted or advanced critical race theory.

Adopted Amendments

• Carter (Manager’s Amendment) – makes agreed upon changes to conform the funding provided in the bill to the Fiscal Responsibility Act and other non-controversial changes.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Cline – requests a report on the feasibility and advisability of expanding the use of community pharmacies for veterans.
  • The amendment was adopted by a voice vote.
• Carter (En Bloc) – includes Hyde language that prevents federal funding for abortions except in cases of incest, rape, or life of the mother; blocks further implementation of the Department of Veteran Affairs' Interim Final Rule on abortion; prohibits Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training and implementation, prohibits funding for hormone therapies or surgeries for gender-affirming care; protects Americans against religious discrimination; and allows only certain flags to be flown over VA facilities. 
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 34 to 27.
• Harder – requires a report to address primary care physician shortages.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

Chairwoman Kay Granger’s opening remarks are available here.
Subcommittee Chairman John Carter’s opening remarks are available here.
 
Bill text, before adoption of amendments in Full Committee, is available here.
Bill report, before adoption of amendments in Full Committee, is available here.
A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available here. 

Original source can be found here.