Political Quotes

“I thank the distinguished ranking member for yielding me time and for her hard work during this arduous process. And I would also like to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Chairman Dent for their hard work as well. As we all know, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill has a strong reputation for common ground and bipartisanship. Chairman Dent, like always, set a cooperative tone and was inclusive throughout this process. He has worked tirelessly to address many Members' concerns, and I joined him in that effort, as well as critical issues impacting our veterans and Active and Reserve servicemembers. The Military Construction portion of this minibus provides adequate funding for both the Active and Reserve components. In addition, the bill funds the NATO Security Investment Program at the FY17 level, sending a strong message to our Nation's allies that we stand with them as we continue to face evolving international threats. For the Department of Veterans Affairs, this bill provides $3.9 billion, which is a 5.3 percent increase over FY 2017. I am also pleased that this bill will address the issue of breast cancer awareness and prevention and provides almost $700 million for medical research, which will fund essential efforts, such as those to address TBI and PTSD, develop state-of-the-art prosthetics, care for victims of military sexual trauma, and treat veterans suffering from mental illness.…”