Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel voted to approve the FY 2013 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, which supports our troops and honors our veterans by funding critical veterans’ health services, and funds the construction of key facilities for training and housing our military.  This measure was overwhelmingly approved by the full House. 

Rep. Engel, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said, “Honoring our veterans is not something to be done on parade grounds once a year in November; it is a true commitment to making life better for those who have risked theirs to make ours safe.  Voting for bills supporting veterans are among the most important I cast.”

Overall, this bill provides $71.7 billion in discretionary spending for FY 2013.  It also continues advance appropriations for VA health care by including $54 billion for FY 2014.   It funds programs such as homeless assistance, treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide prevention, and better access to VA facilities.

He added, “Supporting our troops and veterans means taking action and not just giving lip service to them. I am proud of our troops and veterans. I am grateful for their service and immeasurable sacrifice, and I support providing them the services they have earned and so richly deserve.”

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