House passes military construction bill after deal is struck
Bill provides $82.6 billion for veterans’ health care, military construction, housing and related agencies.
House and Senate conferees struck a deal on the issue that tied up conference negotiations on the fiscal 2006 Military Construction appropriations bill, which was then passed by the House and Senate Friday.
During discussions late Thursday night, the Senate agreed to a House provision to spend $45 million on military housing at Spangdahlem Air Force Base, Germany -- an amount Senate conferees said was excessive. However, Senate appropriators successfully inserted language requiring a report on the construction project to determine its cost effectiveness.
House lawmakers initially were concerned that original language offered by the Senate could ultimately kill funding for the Spangdahlem housing. But the final language only will require the military to conduct a study for 30 days. Once the report is completed, the money will then be available for Spangdahlem, unless the House and Senate agree to let it flow earlier.
After the 427-0 House vote, the bill goes to the Senate, which might vote on it later today. The conference report provides $82.6 billion for veterans' health care, military construction, housing and related agencies. It sets aside $70 billion for the Veterans Affairs Department, including $37 billion for benefits and compensation, $31.8 billion for discretionary programs and $1.3 billion in emergency funding for medical services.
The report includes increases in some priority items, including veterans' mental health programs, treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and funding for Gulf War Illness research.
In addition, the report contains $412 million for medical and prosthetic research. It also requires the Veterans Affairs Department to brief Congress quarterly on the agency's finances.
The conference report also includes $6.2 billion for military construction projects, $867 million above the president's request. And it funds family housing at $4 billion -- $1.8 billion for family housing and construction improvements, and $2.2 billion for operation and maintenance on existing units.
Conferees also agreed to spend $1.5 billion to implement the 2005 round of base closures, funding it at $380 million below the president's request.