Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart Applauds House Passage of the FY27 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Funding Bill

May 15, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-26), the Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and member of the Defense Subcommittee on Appropriations, issued the following statement after the passage of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill for fiscal year 2027: “I’m proud to have voted in favor of this legislation, which delivers for the brave men and women who have selflessly served our country as well as the families who support them. I’m also thrilled that I secured language in the bill standardizing proven software VA-wide, which gives veterans in Collier and Miami-Dade counties access to faster care, less paperwork, and systems that actually work. Supporting our veterans remains a top priority for me, and I will continue to ensure they receive the care and resources they deserve. I commend Chairman Tom Cole and Subcommittee Chairman John Carter for getting this first funding bill approved by the House and look forward to continuing to support more of these bills that prioritize our country and Americans." HIGHLIGHTS - MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2027 The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $157 billion, which is nearly $4 billion (3%) above the Fiscal Year 2026 enacted level. The bill reflects priorities of the America First agenda by including critical investments in military infrastructure that support readiness and the military families that utilize them. In addition, the bill provides $323.9 billion for mandatory programs, for a total of $469.49 billion in overall funding for Fiscal Year 2027. Champions our veterans by: Fully funding veterans’ health care programs. o Fully funding veterans’ benefits. Maintaining funding for research, mental health programs, and other programs relied upon by veterans. Investing over $2 billion in capital improvements for VA Medical Facilities and four national cemeteries. Supports the Trump Administration and the mandate of the American people by: Protecting the 2nd Amendment rights of veterans by preventing the VA from sending information to the FBI about veterans without a judge’s consent. Fully funding the Community Care account, which empowers veterans to seek specialty care to meet their unique needs. Supporting the Trump Administration’s efforts in improving mental health and suicide prevention among veterans. Bolsters U.S. national security and border protections by: Providing robust funding for military construction, enabling continued investment in the Indo-Pacific region and infrastructure necessary to support United States advanced weapons systems. Maintaining the prohibitions on the closure of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the use of military construction funds to build facilities for detainees on U.S. soil. Prohibiting the VA from purchasing resources directly or indirectly from Communist China. Department of Defense (Military Construction and Family Housing) $90 million in additional funding for design of barracks and child development centers vital for the quality of life for servicemembers and their families to address barrack deficiencies identified by the Government Accountability Office. $60 million above the enacted level for the demolition of excess and obsolete infrastructure, saving taxpayers money and lowering long-term facility maintenance costs at DoD. Continues robust prior year funding of the INDOPACOM minor military construction pilot program. $50 million in additional funding for oversight of privatized family housing and continued robust investments in DoD family housing. Department of Veterans Affairs Fully funds veterans’ medical care at $138.2 billion, which is equal to the FY27 Budget Request. Fully funds veterans’ benefits and toxic exposure-related needs for FY27. $54.6 billion for the Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF). ### Issues : Appropriations Appropriations Process Defense/National Security Fiscal Responsibility