House Passes Military Construction & Veterans Affairs FY24 Funding Bill

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Today, the United States House of Representatives approved the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2024 which authorizes spending to more than $317 billion toward Veterans Affairs and military construction. The bill maintains House Republicans commitment to veterans by fully funding veterans’ health care programs, benefits, and Veteran programs, including the electronic health record modernization initiative. 

The legislation includes three of Congressman Zinke’s requests that directly impact Montana military members and veterans. The bill allocates more than $10 million for funding for Malmstrom Air Force Base to cover construction costs of the new fire station. Additionally, the bill includes language directed by Rep. Zinke to strengthen the Air Force’s ground to air data link communications system, which the Chinese spy balloon exposed gaps in capabilities. Additionally, Zinke was successful in gaining an additional $5 million for the construction of veteran homes such as the Southwest Montana Veterans Home in Butte. Zinke sought to preserve the VA’s air ambulance services in this bill, however the rules committee ultimately determined that the amendment wasn’t eligible for consideration within the bill; he is now seeking a solution through stand-alone authorizing legislation.  (Note: See Zinke’s testimony to the House Rules Committee)

“The House Republicans passed a great bill to fully fund the Department of Veterans Affairs and make strategic investments in military construction at Malmstrom and elsewhere,” said Zinke. “The bill also contains important policy victories which keep woke culture out of the VA so the department can focus on treating our warriors, not indoctrinating them.”

Zinke’s major wins for Montana include: 

• $10 million to Malmstrom Air Force Base for construction on the new fire station bay and storage area construction. 
• Additional $5 million to construction grants for projects like the Southwest Montana Veterans’ Home.   
• Directs the DOD to update data link infrastructure to increase readiness for instances like the one related to the Chinese spy balloon. 

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