Senator Peters Helps Advance Appropriations Bill Supporting Michigan’s Defense Assets and Veterans to Full Senate

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped the Senate Appropriations Committee pass the Fiscal Year 2025 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This bipartisan legislation provides new support for our nation's veterans, makes critical investments in Michigan's military infrastructure, and provides funding to expedite PFAS remediation efforts in Michigan and across the country. The bill now advances to the full Senate.

"I have always been steadfast in my commitment to supporting our veterans and investing in Michigan's defense footprint. This bipartisan legislation won't just reach communities across our state - it will bolster our country's national security and help keep our citizens safe. It shows how much we can do when we put politics aside and bring home commonsense solutions for the American people," said Senator Peters.

The bill includes numerous measures led and supported by Peters, including:

Funding for Michigan Military Installations:

$4.4 Million in Funding for Detroit Olympia Armory Project: Peters secured more than $4 million in planning and design funding to construct a 43,681 square foot National Guard Readiness Center that supports individual and collective training, automation, communications, and logistics for the Michigan Army National Guard. This facility will be built at the Detroit Olympia in Detroit, Michigan.

$37 Million for Manned/Unmanned Tactical Vehicle Lab in Southeast Michigan: The bill includes $37 million for the construction of a manned/unmanned tactical vehicle lab in Macomb County. This builds on funding Senator Peters previously secured for the planning and design of this lab. The work of this new center will be critical to the Army's efforts to develop the next generation of unmanned ground vehicle technologies. Specifically, this funding would provide the necessary facility space to allow engineers and scientists to develop and integrate hardware and software technologies onto advanced unmanned and autonomous ground combat and tactical vehicle systems. This space will also allow the ability to test these systems more efficiently and effectively in a System Integration Lab, located on Macomb County's Defense Industrial Corridor. This will improve the product and enhance rapid improvement and collaboration with private sector partners.

Addressing PFAS Contamination

Expediting Cleanup of PFAS Contamination at Department of Defense (DOD) Installations: This bill includes significant funding to address PFAS contamination at more than 400 DOD installations across the United States, including Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Wurtsmith Air Force Base, and Camp Grayling.

Supporting Our Nation's Veterans:Expand Veteran Apprenticeship Opportunities Established by Peters Law: The bill requires the VA to report to Congress within 180 days regarding its efforts to develop a veterans apprenticeship website. Peters has previously supported the establishment of a user-friendly veterans-specific website to encourage greater utilization of apprenticeships among veterans. Peters' Support for Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act - which was signed in to law in 2020 - expands apprenticeship opportunities for veterans by increasing veterans' access to financial assistance that they can use in connection with an apprenticeship program. The appropriations bill Peters helped advance out of committee would require the VA to report on actions it has taken with state approving agencies to establish this website to increase awareness and utilization of apprenticeships for veterans.

Outreach Improvement for Discharge Review Board: Peters secured language in the bill directing the VA to report to Congress on its efforts to ensure veterans are aware of the discharge review board petition process. It also directs the VA to provide recommendations to further enhance this outreach, including through enhanced coordination with the DOD via the already existing VA-DOD Joint Executive Committee. This provision recognizes the importance of ensuring that veterans who may have been erroneously given a less than honorable discharge from the military, due to behaviors resulting from traumas such as PTSD, TBI, or military sexual trauma (MST), are aware of the opportunity to upgrade their service discharge status by petitioning to a Discharge Review Board, which each military service operates. Such petitions, if successful, can allow veterans greater access to earned VA benefits. This provision builds on Peters' Fairness for Veterans Act signed into law in 2016, which gave liberal consideration for honorable discharge for petitions from veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD, TBI or related conditions in connection with their military service. The law also extends this policy to PTSD or TBI that is related to military sexual trauma.

Efforts to Combat Diabetes Among Veterans: The bill includes language Peters secured that encourages the VA to establish a Diabetes Center of Excellence to focus on improving treatment and outcomes for veterans with diabetes. One in four veterans suffers from diabetes and the VA spends more than $1.5 billion annually to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes. Given that impact, veteran advocates and health care professionals have increasingly argued for the establishment a Diabetes Center of Excellence. The center would conduct research and other activities to develop and share best practices for treatment and prevention within the Veterans Health Administration.

Honoring Our PACT Act: The bill continues to provide robust funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund made available by the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT)Act, which Peters helped enact to ensure all-generations of toxic-exposed veterans can receive critical VA health care and benefits. As of June 21^st, nearly 38,000 Michigan veterans and more than 1.7 million veterans across the country have applied for expanded VA benefits through the PACT Act.

Improve Transparency of VA Casework Backlog: The bill includes language Peters secured requiring the VA to submit a report on the average processing times for VA claims and appeals, including those related to the PACT Act. The Honoring Our PACT Act ensures all generations of veterans exposed to toxic substances can access essential services through the VA. Peters' provision comes in response to feedback from numerous veterans whose recent casework requests have taken longer than the expected review time.

GI Bill Eligibility for Cannabis Careers: The VA recently updated its policy to no longer allow GI Bill benefits to be used by veterans for courses or job training related to careers in the cannabis industry. Peters' secured language in the bill expressing concern about the VA restricting the use of veterans' benefits and requiring the VA to report to Congress within 90 days on the impact of this policy change, which is prohibiting veterans from using their hard-earned benefits to further their education or careers. Peters also voted in favor of a successfully adopted amendment to the bill that will ensure VA doctors can recommend medical marijuana to patients in states where it is legal.

Infrastructure Upgrades for State Veterans Homes: The bill would provide funding to allow states to make critical facility upgrades or construct new facilities to serve aging veteran populations at State Veterans Homes, which is funding Peters has consistently advocated for.

Support Veteran Mental Health Services and Suicide Prevention Efforts: The bill would support various VA mental health initiatives and suicide prevention outreach efforts, including the Veterans Crisis Line, Suicide Prevention Coordinators, and improvements to depression treatment.

Strengthen Rural Veteran Health Care: The bill includes funding to strengthen access to health care for veterans living in rural areas, including by expanding access to telehealth services.

Support VA Caregivers: The bill would provide robust funding to support VA caregivers who provide critical care to veterans who require assistance for daily living as a result of injuries or trauma from their service.

Improve Veteran Women's Health Services: The bill provides funding for women's health care services, including funding to enhance health care facilities that support these services.

Expanding Quality, Affordable Housing for Servicemembers: The bill would significantly expand construction for new family housing as well as upgrade existing housing units. The bill would also support the construction of child development centers, high schools, medical facilities, and servicemember housing to support servicemembers and their families. The bill would support the development of more than a dozen barracks to increase housing availability for unaccompanied servicemembers.

Reduce Veteran Homelessness: The bill works to reduce homelessness among veterans and their families by providing funding for housing assistance and other support services.

Expand Child Care Access for Veterans: The bill would provide funding to expand access to child care for veterans who must attend medical appointments, including funding to support the VA's work to establish drop-in child care centers.

Funding for VA Medical Research: The bill would fund medical research to advance veteran care, including efforts related to Traumatic Brain Injury, PFAS exposure, and veterans with deployment-related respiratory disease to continue efforts to identify non-invasive, FDA approved screening technologies that save veterans from invasive procedures.

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