On the recordNovember 9, 2015
I come to the floor to urge support by the Senate for the 2016 MILCON-VA appropriations bill. Last year this bill's funding for our veterans was $65 billion and it is now $71.2 billion. That is a $6.2 billion increase over last year. The President requested $70.1 billion for fiscal year 2016. This bill provides $1.1 billion more than the President's request for this upcoming legislation. Last week we agreed to debate this bill by an overwhelming vote of 93 to 0. We have record-level funding to fix the disability claims backlog at the VA in this bill. There are new protections for whistleblowers, doctors, and nurses at the VA who are protected when they report patient abuse. This bill protects the protectors of our veterans. With that, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
