House Approves H.R. 4366, The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act

WASHINGTON – Today, the House of Representatives met to consider H.R. 4366, the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The measure was approved with a vote of 219 to 211.

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The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 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.

H.R. 4366, The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act

• 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, before adoption of amendments, is available here.

"The bill before us demonstrates our commitment to reduce overall spending and still honor our commitment to our veterans. This bill makes good on that promise by fully funding veterans' health care. It will ensure our veterans get the medical treatment and benefits they deserve,"said House Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger. "Specifically, the bill prioritizes our nation's heroes by providing critical funding for military bases and facilities; improving the quality of life for our service members and their families; and ensuring our veterans are appropriately honored in our cemeteries and battle monuments."

"This bill is special because it supports our troops and their families, and the Nation's veterans. The bill provides $17.5 billion for military construction and family housing projects. This is less than the FY23 enacted amount. However, it is nearly $800 million above the President's request,"said Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee Chairman John Carter. "This bill fully funds veterans' programs at the level requested by the President. It keeps our promise to veterans, and we do more to help veterans in the Pacific. But we also ensure taxpayer funds are used appropriately and effectively by increasing oversight of several programs."

Chairwoman Granger's full opening remarks are available here.
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Carter's full opening remarks are available here.

During floor consideration, the House adopted the following amendments:

• Ryan (NY) – #1
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 394 to 19.
• Carter – En Bloc #1
  • Pettersen (CO), Casar (TX), Jacobs (CA), Kiggans (VA) – #4
  • Caraveo (CO) – #5
  • Ogles (TN) – #6
  • Gottheimer (NJ) – #7
  • Gottheimer (NJ), Casar (TX) – #8
  • Norton (DC) – #9
  • Ross (NC) – #10
  • Arrington (TX), Burgess (TX) – #11
  • Boebert (CO) – #12
  • Caraveo (CO) – #13
  • Carbajal (CA), Bacon (NE) – #14
  • Gluesenkamp Perez (WA) – #15
  • Hudson (NC) – #16
  • Molinaro (NY) – #17
  • Ogles (TN) – #18
  • Pettersen (CO) – #19
  • Ross (NC) – #20
  • Ogles (TN) – #22
  • Gluesenkamp Perez (WA) – #23
  • Boebert (CO) – #25
  • Boebert (CO) – #26
  • Boebert (CO) – #27
  • Boebert (CO) – #28
  • Boebert (CO) – #29
  • Gottheimer (NJ) – #30
  • Tlaib (MI), Casar (TX) – #31
  • Zinke (MT) – #32
  • Molinaro (NY) – #33
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Bergman (MI), Correa (CA) – #24
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Bost (IL), Rosendale (MT), Hudson (NC), DesJarlais (TN), Self (TX), Cammack (FL), Higgins (LA), Ogles (TN), Miller (WV), Boebert (CO), Van Orden (WI), Kiggans (VA), Murphy (NC) – #35
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 228 to 206.
• Mast (FL), Blumenauer (OR), Joyce (OH), Lee (CA), McGovern (MA), Gaetz (FL) – #36
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Rosendale (MT), Self (TX) – #37
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 223 to 211.
• Roy (TX) – #38
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 224 to 210.
• Roy (TX) – #39
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 221 to 212.
• Roy (TX), Cammack (FL) – #40
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 220 to 214.
• Zinke (MT), Hudson (NC), Bergman (MI) – #41
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 222 to 212.

The Rule for H.R. 4366, with a list of all amendments and a description provided by the sponsor, is available here.
Bill text, before adoption of amendments, is available here.
Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available here.
A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available here.

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