Yoho Votes to Take Care of America’s Veterans

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Ted S. Yoho (R-FL-03) voted yes on H.R. 2029 – FY2016 Military Construction & Veterans Affairs Appropriations.   This bill will ensure all of America’s veterans receive the much needed health care, jobs and training, and other benefits they deserve. This is the first of 12 annual appropriations bills that fund the government for 2016.  Congressman Yoho gave the following statement:

“We owe a lot to our nation’s veterans. All those who have answered the call to defend the very freedoms and liberties we enjoy, day in and day out, deserve the very best care. The bill we passed tonight will increase the VA Medical Services budget to $48.6 billion dollars. This is a $3.4 billion increase over last year’s budget.  Included with-in that funding is money for mental health care, suicide prevention, traumatic brain injury, aid to homeless vets, and health care in rural areas.

“Along with providing much needed care, this bill helps speed up the VA claims process, tracks progress towards reducing backlog, and supports 770 new staff to work on claims issues.

“As I travel the district, these are among the top issues I hear from the 120,000 veterans I have the honor to represent. This bill is a step forward in paying back the sacrifice these heroes have made.”

More details of H.R. 2029:

• Helps ensure our veterans receive proper medical care by including $223 million for modernization of the VA electronic health record system.
• Tightens oversight for taxpayer dollars to address mismanagement  by requiring reports on construction costs, savings, and changes in scope
• Supports active-duty personal by providing $7.7 billion for construction and renovation on military bases in the U.S. and around the globe.
• Ensures quality housing for military families.
• Supports and cares for 9.8 million beneficiaries, including our wounded troops abroad, by providing $670million for medical facilities.

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Congressman Ted Yoho serves on the Foreign Affairs and Agriculture Committees. He represents North Florida’s 3rd Congressional District