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Our nation's veterans have selflessly served and sacrificed for our country. As chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, chairwoman of the Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health, and the representative of Fort Drum, New York, we understand it is our solemn duty to honor their sacrifice, service and heroism.
That is why we, along with the rest of our House Republican colleagues, committed to fully fund veterans benefits in our budgets to ensure the men and women who have served have access to the care, benefits and services they have earned.
Last week, we fulfilled our commitment to our veterans when we passed the Fiscal 2024 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. This bill fully funds veterans' health care programs, benefits and other Department of Veterans Affairs programs, including the electronic health record modernization initiative, and fully funds toxic exposure-related needs for fiscal 2024. Our MilCon-VA Appropriations bill is an increase of more than $16 billion over fiscal 2023 enacted levels.
Every House Democrat voted against this legislation, and President Joe Biden has threatened to veto this funding bill if it gets to his desk, choosing to endanger veterans programs over political positions. But for months, these same extreme Democrats launched baseless attacks against House Republicans, falsely claiming we would cut veterans' benefits. President Biden even went as far as to weaponize the VA against House Republicans, having it falsely tell veterans we would cut their benefits, something that still remains on the VA's website.
Three House Democrats even authored an op-ed for Military Times, claiming that House Republicans would slash billions from veterans. In the end, all three of these House Democrats -- Reps. Mark A. Takano of California, Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania -- voted against the bill, which fully funds veterans benefits, including funds for toxic exposure-related needs.
President Biden often tells the American people, "Don't tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I'll tell you what you value." By voting against the MilCon-VA Appropriations bill and threatening to veto it, he and House Democrats are telling us what they value, and sadly, it is not funding benefits for our nation's veterans. They are turning their backs on our veterans and failing to fulfill their sacred promises to the men and women who have served us.
House Republicans always have and always will be the strongest supporters of our veterans; we will continue to uphold our commitment to them and ensure that they have access to the care, benefits and services they have earned.
-- Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik represents New York; Mike Bost, Illinois; and Mariannette Miller Meeks, Iowa.
