Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 8580, the fiscal year 2025 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill. While I unfortunately cannot support the bill on the floor today, I am grateful to Chairman Carter for the work that we have been able to accomplish together over the years on this subcommittee. I know we both prioritize quality of life for our servicemembers and their families and caring for our veterans, but, sadly, the bill before us today is built on a framework that once again walks away from the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act agreement, which is law, which was the basis for the bills that we passed just a couple of months ago. While the FY25 MILCON-VA bill doesn't face cuts nearly as dramatic as the other bills, veterans, servicemembers, and their families rely on programs throughout the Federal Government. These funding levels only move us further from a bipartisan agreement on all of the funding bills that those who served our Nation rely on. On the military construction side, this bill cuts funding for servicemembers and their families by $718 million, compared to last year's bill. This cut will slow crucial progress to modernize and improve DOD's infrastructure.…”