Guest supports Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Related Agencies Appropriations Act

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Recently, the House passed H.R. 4366, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2024.

The commitment of Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives to work together on this bill highlights the conservative values that are shaping the 118^th Congress. Through this legislation, we are working to protect Americans’ freedoms and overturn the woke policies of the Biden Administration while supporting our Veterans and the infrastructure needs of our military to protect our great country.

This bill delivers on the promise that House Republicans are committed to our Veterans, their healthcare and the wellbeing of their families by fully funding VA medical care and benefits, including care for toxic exposure.

Funding included in the bill supports a strong national security by providing nearly $800 million above the President’s Budget Request for military construction to support our nation’s defense. In a time when China and Russia pose an increasing threat, we must increase the military readiness of our armed forces.

The work and message of the VA should not be divisive, but rather respectful towards our Veterans and consistent with the purposes for which the VA was created. Unfortunately, the woke polices of the Biden Administration have placed our country on an unsustainable path and could cause lasting damage if left unaddressed. I am proud that our bill includes language that would address those policies. I wanted to highlight some of the conservative values that we placed in this critical legislation.

This bill respects the original intent of marriage between one man and one woman and would ensure the federal government does not discriminate in its decisions regarding tax treatment, grants, contracts, and other agreements based on an individual’s religious beliefs or moral convictions that marriage is between one man and one woman. I am proud to have helped champion this important religious protection provision through the House Appropriations process this year.

Additionally, the bill would prevent the Biden Administration from continuing the VA’s unlawful abortion rule. Even though current law prohibits taxpayer funding of abortions and, specifically, makes clear that the VA is not allowed to fund abortions, the Biden Administration has sought to use the VA to promote an expansive abortion agenda. This bill would stop the President from using the VA to expand access to abortion.

Furthermore, the bill also would prevent our VA facilities from getting involved in culture wars by ensuring our VA facilities fly only government, military, or POW/MIA flags over their facilities. If you remember, this summer, a VA facility in Mississippi replaced an American flag with an LGBTQ Pride flag. After that incident, I worked to include language in this Appropriations bill to prevent this from happening again.

It is my goal to support our military and veterans while also continuing to support conservative values and not allowing woke policies to take over our government. I am committed to protecting the original intention of marriage between one man and one woman, protecting unborn children, and making sure that our taxpayer dollars fund our military priorities in the appropriate fashion.

Conservative groups have expressed public appreciation for what House Republicans have been able to include in our Appropriations bills this year. Multiple pro-life, pro-family, and pro-liberty groups have supported and highlighted the conservative values we are championing.

I am thankful for the hard work my Republican colleagues and Speaker Kevin McCarthy have put into these bills, especially the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. I am a proud supporter of our Veterans, our active duty servicemembers, and this bill.