Full Committee Markup of Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Acts

Senate Appropriations Committee Business Meeting

July 17, 2025 (recording here)

MARKUP INFORMATION

The markup began with the Senate Appropriations Committee considering the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilConVA) Appropriations Act. The session included extensive debate on the bill, several amendments, and broader concerns about the appropriations process in light of recent partisan rescissions.

The Committee ultimately approved the bill by a vote of 26-3.

This Nimitz News Flash will only focus on key points related to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026. The Senate report on the bill can be found here.

BILL SUMMARY

• The Fiscal Year 2026 MilConVA Appropriations Act provides $153.5 billion in discretionary funding, including $19.8 billion for military construction and $133.6 billion for the VA. The measure also includes $253.6 billion in mandatory funding, bringing total VA funding to $387.2 billion.

• Key investments include:

  • $18.9 billion for VA mental health services.

  • $698 million for veteran suicide prevention outreach.

  • $5.3 billion for homeless veteran programs.

  • $342 million for rural health initiatives.

  • $1.4 billion for women's health care.

  • $943 million for medical and prosthetic research.

  • $3.5 billion for the VA’s electronic health record modernization, with 13 new site deployments planned in 2026.

  • $19.8 billion for military construction projects worldwide, including $1.9 billion to improve military family housing.

  • Funding for nearly 300 construction projects, including family housing and child development centers, as well as projects supporting NATO and Indo-Pacific posture.

  • Provisions retaining prohibitions on the closure or realignment of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.

  • A ban on the VA purchasing IT equipment from Chinese companies on specified federal lists.

• Chairwoman Susan Collins, Sen. John Boozman, and Sen. Jon Ossoff praised the bill’s support for national security infrastructure, service members, veterans, and military families.

SOURCES OF CONTENTION

• Much of the debate focused not on the bill itself, but on broader frustrations with the appropriations process and the recent passage of a partisan rescissions package. Vice Chair Patty Murray, Sen. Ossoff, and several Democrats criticized the rescissions as undermining bipartisan appropriations work, eroding trust, and ceding congressional power to the executive branch.

• Sen. Jeff Merkley’s amendment to exempt appropriations from future rescissions without a 60-vote threshold was defeated along party lines.

• Sen. Chris Murphy offered an amendment requiring the VA to report on suicide rates among veterans adjudicated mentally incompetent, particularly in light of previous policy changes restoring firearm rights to this population. The amendment failed by a narrow 14-15 vote, despite support from several Democrats.

• Sen. Merkley also raised concerns about the backlog of veterans’ home construction projects and called for greater investment, though he withdrew his related amendment.

OUTCOMES

• The following amendments were adopted:

  • Manager’s Package: Offered by Senator Boozman, the package of bipartisan amendments was adopted by unanimous consent.

  • Merkley Amendment: Allowing VA providers to discuss medical cannabis with veterans in states where it is legal. Adopted by voice vote.

• The Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act was reported favorably by a bipartisan vote of 26-3. The bill now advances to the full Senate for consideration.

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