Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel voted on Friday to approve the FY 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act.  This measure was overwhelmingly passed by the full House by a vote of 415 to 3.   The bill supports our troops and honors our veterans by funding critical veterans’ health services, and authorizes the construction of key facilities for training and housing our military.

“This bill strengthens quality health care services relied on by more than six million people, including 419,000 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It also funds the construction of barracks which are vital to our troops’ quality of life,” said Rep. Engel.  “These are absolute necessities for the brave men and women who serve our nation.”

The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act provides advance funds for veterans health services in 2011, so funding for our veterans’ health care is timely, reliable, and never held hostage by political maneuvering.  “The medical needs of our veterans should never become a casualty of political warfare in Washington.  With advance funding, we can ensure that crucial veterans’ health care services are never interrupted,” added Rep. Engel.

The legislation includes:

• Improvements in electronic health records and paperless benefits processing to make veterans health care more efficient,
• Additional oversight and auditing of our veterans’ health care system, and new practices to improve access to care for veterans in rural areas.
• Investments in mental health services and critical medical and prosthetic research to serve our wounded warriors returning from battle.
• Funding to construct key facilities for training and housing, addressing the unfunded backlog of barracks for the young men and women entering the service.
• Funding for the guard and reserve initiative, to recognize the critical contribution made by reserve personnel and address urgent unfunded requirements.
• Supports the military families with military child care centers, military family housing, and additional Vets Centers to provide community-based readjustment counseling for veterans and their families.

“Supporting our troops and veterans means taking action and not just using lofty rhetoric,” said Rep. Engel.  “I am proud of our troops and veterans. I am grateful for their service and immeasurable sacrifice, and I wholeheartedly support this legislation to provide them the services they have earned and so richly deserve.”