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Congresswoman Jenkins Votes To Support Our Veterans, Active-Duty Service Members

WASHINGTON, DC –The House of Representatives passed the FY2015 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, which includes resources to train and equip our troops, provide housing and services to military personnel and their families, help maintain base infrastructure, and fund veterans’ benefits and programs. Congresswoman Jenkins released the following statement:

“It is our duty to look after those who risked their lives andkeep our promise to the men and women in uniform who keep us safe. In these tough budgetary times, the House reinforced our support for our nation’s service members, and provided care for our veterans and their families.

“I am extremely pleased this legislation also includes resources for mental health care, suicide prevention, and rural health initiatives. Ensuring folks have better access to mental health resources is an issue I am passionate about, have championed over the  past years, and will continue to support.”

Items to Note:

  • Last week, the National Council joined veterans and mental health leaders to launch the Mental Health First Aid for Veterans.

o   President and CEO for the National Council for Behavioral Health, Linda Rosenberg thanked Congresswoman Jenkins for her efforts. To watch, click here.  

  • Provided by the House Appropriations Committee: In total, the legislation provides $71.5 billion in discretionary funding – a cut of $1.8 billion below the fiscal year 2014 level. This reduction will not negatively affect projects or services on which troops and veterans rely. Instead, the bill provides less funding than the previous year for military construction, largely due to a lack of new need for such projects, while increasing funding for veterans programs by $1.5 billion.

 

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