Keeps Commitment to Veterans with Vote On Appropriations Bill

Press Release

Today, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-11) continued his commitment to serving our nation's veterans by supporting the 2009 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill which builds on the historic increase in VA funding from last year, the largest increase ever in the 77-year history of the Veterans' Administration.

The bill, H.R. 6599, passed the House this morning by 409-4.

"Our veterans have done so much in the service of our country by serving in harm's way overseas. We must to do everything we can to provide adequate healthcare and rehabilitation services when they return home," said Rep. McNerney. "I'm proud the House passed this appropriations bill today because it demonstrates a continued and sincere commitment to caring for our nation's veterans."

The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill includes $2.9 billion more than the President's requested for veterans medical care, claims processors, and facility improvements.

The measure expands access to and strengthens the quality of veterans health care by:

* Increasing enrollment in VA medical care for veterans making as little as $28,430 (Priority 8) by 10 percent. The Bush Administration stopped enrolling these veterans right before the Iraq War;
Strengthening mental health care for the growing number of veterans with PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury by providing $3.8 billion;
* Providing veterans with advanced prosthetics, particularly important for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who, given tremendous advances in medical technology, often survive hostile attacks but lose limbs as a result;
* Bolstering maintenance at VA medical facilities;
* Increasing gas mileage reimbursement from 28.5 to 41.5 cents per mile for veterans traveling to get health care to help those in rural areas; and
* Providing assistance for homeless veterans through funds for the homeless grants and per diem program. The Salvation Army in Lodi was a recent recipient of such a grant to provide transitional housing and counseling services to homeless veterans in Northern San Joaquin County.

The bill also boosts military construction so that our troops have better housing, health care and day care facilities and more effective training facilities.

In fact, Rep. McNerney successfully obtained two separate appropriations for projects at the Tracy Defense Depot in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill so that the Depot can maintain its critically important role in supplying soldiers around the world. Descriptions of the two projects appear below.

Replacement of General Purpose Warehouse - $41 million
Funding will be used to construct the replacement of a WWII era warehouse currently in use. The warehouse is in need of replacement because of its age. The new building will be 480,000 square feet.

Replacement of Truck Entrance / Control Facility - $9.3 million
Funding will be used to construct and install a security booth, truck canopy, guard shack, truck control office, access roads, vehicle parking lots, curbs, pop-up barriers for force protection, motorized gates, truck scale, spill containment area, street lighting, perimeter security fencing and other small projects.

Together, the construction projects are estimated to employ 225 (150 for the warehouse and 75 for the truck facility) individuals.

Defense Distribution Depot San Joaquin, Tracy, is the county's second largest employer.

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