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Congressman Garamendi Votes for Veterans with Today’s MilCon Vote

June 14, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek, CA), a Member of the House Armed Services Committee who represents thousands of veterans in his district as well as over 10,000 service members in Travis Air Force Base, today was proud to vote in favor of the Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs Appropriations bill, H.R. 2055. His vote today continues the Congressman’s record of consistently voting for legislative that expands and improves services for veterans. With the funding in this legislation, the VA will be able to provide quality medical care to more than 5.5 million veterans in 2012, including 536,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

"When our brave men and women risk so much for our country by fighting overseas, we cannot abandon them once they come back home. It is our duty to provide them with the all the care and resources available so that they can successfully transition to a prosperous civilian life." Garamendi said.

Over the past several years, Congressman Garamendi and his Democratic colleagues have supported numerous bills increasing funding and modernizing the way the VA is run in order to provide proper help to veterans. Since January 2007, the Congress will have provided a 70 percent increase in funding for veterans’ health care and benefits which has dramatically increased the VA’s ability to process claims, and open hundreds of new clinics and centers that serve Veterans.

"As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am especially concerned with the work and safety of our service members, but as we ensure that none are left behind at the battlefield, we must remember to care for all veterans once they return," Garamendi continued. "It is a relief to me that on this occasion, Congress was able to put our differences behind to assist the honorable men and women who served in uniform. They deserve our respect and help, which we delivered that with this vote."

H.R. 2055 will provide $58.3 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of $1.8 billion over the FY 2011 level. It also provides $14 billion for military construction programs, as well as it continues advance appropriations for VA health care by including $52 billion for FY 2013.