{"id":31949,"date":"2026-05-21T20:46:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T20:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2026\/05\/21\/house-passes-budget-bill-for-veterans-affairs-military-construction\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T12:35:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T12:35:10","slug":"house-passes-budget-bill-for-veterans-affairs-military-construction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/2026\/05\/21\/house-passes-budget-bill-for-veterans-affairs-military-construction\/","title":{"rendered":"House passes budget bill for Veterans Affairs, military construction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The House overwhelmingly passed a $480.9 billion budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction and other programs for fiscal 2027 that included full funding for veterans health care and benefits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill, which also provides appropriations for veterans-related agencies such as the American Battle Monuments Commission and Arlington National Cemetery, includes nearly $450 billion for the VA in fiscal 2027, a 3% increase from fiscal 2026 but lower than President Donald Trump\u2019s request<\/a> of $488 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill was the first appropriations legislation to clear the House this year, in a 400-15 vote May 15 that Rep. John Carter, R-Tex., called a \u201ctestament to America\u2019s commitment to taking care of the men and women who have bravely worn the uniform.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want every service member and veteran to know that this bill has their back,\u201d said Carter, chairman of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Subcommittee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill includes $324 billion in mandatory spending for the VA that covers health care and benefits and $137.8 billion for discretionary spending, roughly 2% higher than the fiscal 2026 amount but significantly lower than Trump\u2019s request of $205.6 billion for discretionary funds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The White House had asked to shift mandatory funds marked for injuries or illnesses related to toxic exposures \u2014 roughly $52 billion \u2014 to the discretionary budget, but the committee rejected the idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawmakers have expressed concerns that the use of those mandatory dollars, from the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund<\/a>, would jeopardize the fund\u2019s intended use for veterans sickened by environmental pollutants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill provides $19.7 billion for military construction projects, including $2.1 billion for the Army; $5.5 billion for the Navy and Marine Corps; $3.7 billion for the Air Force; $3.8 billion Defense Department-wide and additional funding for the National Guard and Reserve components. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill also includes a provision that would cement the VA\u2019s decision to halt notifications<\/a> to the Justice Department of a veteran\u2019s inability to manage his or her finances \u2014 a situation that precluded veterans with fiduciaries from owning guns.<\/p>\n\n\n\t