Committee approves $72.7B military construction spending bill
Bill includes $47.7 billion in discretionary spending for Veterans Affairs Department, nearly $3 billion more than the president's request.
The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday easily approved the $72.7 billion fiscal 2009 military construction and veterans' affairs spending measure, sending a bill to the floor that continues a historic increase in Veterans Affairs Department funding that began last year.
The bill passed by voice vote; it is $3.4 billion more than what President Bush requested and $8.8 billon more than the fiscal 2008 funding level.
For the VA, the bill includes $47.7 billion in discretionary spending, which amounts to $2.9 billion above the budget request and $4.6 billion more than provided this year.
"The bill ... says to all who have served that just as you have kept your promises to this country, we intend to keep our promises to you," said House Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Chet Edwards, D-Texas.
During the brief markup, the committee approved by voice vote an amendment that increases the mileage reimbursement rate for veterans traveling to hospitals to 41.5 cents a mile, 6.5 cents more than the subcommittee approved during its markup of the bill this month.
House Appropriations ranking member Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., who sponsored the mileage reimbursement amendment, said the increase was necessary to ensure that higher gas prices will not dissuade veterans from seeking care at far-flung facilities.
The increase, which would cost $50 million next year, was offset by trimming funding from the VA's information technology accounts.
Meanwhile, House appropriators approved by voice vote an amendment from Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., that directs the Air Force to report to Congress on the status of military housing privatization efforts at four bases, including Moody Air Force Base in his district. The other bases are Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.; and Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
Kingston and other lawmakers have repeatedly raised concerns about the company overseeing the housing projects, which reportedly owes millions of dollars to local subcontractors.
Kingston's amendment also urges the Air Force to create a single point of contact on each of the housing projects and work with subcontractors to address their concerns.