House passes crucial funding bill for military and VA

Today, the House passed a Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill that includes oversight and reporting provisions critical to holding the VA accountable. Congressman Roger Williams (RTX-25), a staunch advocate for better treatment of veterans, supported the bill and issued the following statement.

"Over the last year, multiple reports have revealed shocking information regarding the treatment of our nation's heroes. Offenses range from an unfathomable backlog of veterans' claims and appeals, to record breaking waiting times at the Waco VA for claims to be processed, to "secret waiting lists" that resulted in the death of 40 Arizona veterans, to grossly mishandled claims dealing with traumatic brain injuries. This is unacceptable, and the American public is right to be outraged. This important legislation includes provisions that uphold the promises we made to our veterans and ensures they continue to receive their deserved benefits. I'm especially pleased to see the inclusion of a programmatic request I submitted with several colleagues to prevent performance-based bonuses from being awarded to VA officials in this appropriations bills. Until the VA backlog is substantially reduced, executives should not be rewarded.

"In addition to VA funding, the bill sufficiently funds training and equipment for troops, housing maintenance for military personnel, and maintenance of base infrastructure. I applaud Chairman Rogers and my colleagues for saving taxpayers $1.8 billion without cutting services for troops and veterans."

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