Appropriations committee approves $314B military construction, VA funding bill

June 23 (UPI) -- The House appropriations committee on Thursday approved a $314.1 billion appropriations bill funding military construction and veterans affairs for the 2023 fiscal year.

The committee voted 32-26 to advance the bill, which it said would support veterans with investments in health care, sending it to a vote by the full chamber.

"Our veterans, servicemembers and their families have made immense sacrifices to protect and serve our nation, and it is our duty to make sure they have the support they need and deserve," said appropriations committee Chair Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.

The bill provides $15.1 billion for military construction projects, including $2.1 billion for family housing construction, of which $373 million would be spent on removing mold and lead from military housing.

It also includes $1 billion for construction and alteration of Guard and Reserve facilities, as well as $1.3 billion for shipyard infrastructure optimization.

The VA portion of the bill provides $135 billion in discretionary spending, including $118.8 billion for veterans' medical care.

It would also provide $128.1 billion in advance fiscal year 2024 funding for such medical care, as well as $16.2 billion for non-veterans affairs medical care programs, including $2 billion for construction projects and $1.76 billion to maintain the VA Electronic Health Record System.