Congressman Hinojosa said, “I am proud that we are able to honor our commitment to our troops by passing this bill. It is a reflection of our appreciation for the sacrifice they and their families make on behalf of Americans everywhere. With passage of this bill, Congress has provided a 58 percent increase in funding for veterans health care and benefits since January 2007. In addition we have a new 21st Century GI Education bill that now also transfers this important benefit to the children of those service members who have died while serving our country.
“The funding will lead to an increase of 8,300 claims processors, 145 community-based outpatient clinics, 70 vet centers and more than 47,000 additional Veterans Health Administration employees. These additional resources will provide veterans with their benefits more quickly and improve access to health care and other services.
“Congress has also funded several initiatives to improve the quality of life for our military and their families to include: $2.8 billion for new military hospitals, $1 billion for new child care centers to serve 20,000 military children, and $570 million in additional funding for barracks.
“The bill is strongly supported by major veterans service organizations such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS and many others.
“Overall, the bill provides $77.9 billion in discretionary spending, $53 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, $24.6 billion for military construction, family housing and BRAC, and $266.8 million for related agencies. It is $239 million more than the president’s request and $5 billion more than fiscal year 2009 level. For the first time ever, $48.2 billion is provided in advance appropriations for fiscal year 2011 for three medical accounts: medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities.”
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