By Rep. Jake LaTurner
Throughout our nation's history, Americans have answered the call to serve regardless of the circumstances or danger that lay ahead. The United States is the greatest country in the world because generations of brave servicemembers stepped up to the plate to preserve and protect our American ideals and values. It's a tremendous honor to represent so many veterans across Kansas, and I will never stop fighting to ensure America's heroes get the care and benefits they deserve from the federal government.
At the beginning of the 118th Congress, I was selected to serve on the House Appropriations Committee. The job of this committee is to fund the federal government and ensure our hard-earned tax dollars are being spent responsibly in Washington. My colleagues and I on the committee work on a wide range of issues, including national defense, agriculture, energy, healthcare, and border security. Still, one of the most crucial roles of the committee is funding veterans' programs at the VA.
This week, the Appropriations Committee sat down and started working through our nation’s budget for Fiscal Year 2024. One of the first steps of the process is holding full committee markups to go through each federal agency's budget line by line, and on Tuesday, we looked at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Having the opportunity to strengthen and bolster VA programs and veterans' benefits is a responsibility I do not take lightly. I promised Kansans I wouldn’t cut veterans' benefits during the Appropriations process, and I’m proud that the bill Republicans passed out of committee this week delivers on that promise. The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations bill honors our commitment to America's heroes by increasing VA funding by more than $16 billion from last fiscal year. This legislation fully funds veterans’ health care programs, veterans’ benefits, and other critical VA programs. We took action to ensure the PACT Act has adequate funding to help millions of toxic-exposed veterans get the care they deserve. We also provided resources to remove burdensome red tape at the VA and make it easier for veterans to keep track of their healthcare and service records. In addition to fortifying benefits for our veterans, this bill helps improve the quality of life for our current servicemembers and their families by providing funding for military bases and facilities, including barracks, child development centers, and family housing.
America's veterans and their families sacrificed so much for our nation. Without the bravery of these individuals, the United States would not be the beacon of freedom and democracy that it is today. One of my top priorities in Congress is ensuring that the 160,000+ veterans across Kansas are taken care of by our federal government. That includes securing wins through the legislative process like we did this week, but also being their advocate when it comes to navigating the bureaucratic maze at the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you are a veteran in the Second District who needs help with the VA or is stuck in the never-ending bureaucracy of the federal government, please give my office a call. I promise we will go to the mat to help you get the benefits you deserve. I’m eternally grateful for the selfless service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans and their families. God bless America’s heroes!