Sinema Fourth of July Statement

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Chair Sinema's bipartisan appropriations legislation provides nearly $149 billion for American military construction, VA, and related agencies improvements

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved bipartisan legislation that Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema introduced investing $148,876,000,000 in American defense, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and related agencies. This funding will be critical for American national security and veteran and servicemember quality of life.

As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, Sinema secured $90 million for a water treatment plant at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, $62 million for the Special Operations Forces Free Fall Advanced Training Complex at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), $3.8 million for transient barracks planning and design at MCAS Yuma, $6 million for minor construction of a new Radar Operations and Maintenance Facility at YPG, and $7 million to complete the main entry complex at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson. Sinema also included language supporting infrastructure investments at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to facilitate the incoming power projection wing.

"This bill represents bipartisan support for our servicemembers and veterans and their families. It enhances our military readiness and the quality of life for servicemembers and their families, and funds quality care and benefits for our nation's veterans," said Sinema, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veteran Affairs, and Related Agencies.

For American military construction, Sinema's legislation provides $19.3 billion for critical infrastructure requirements that support American servicemembers at home and abroad - including funding for airfield and shipyard improvements, training ranges, and hangars. The legislation funds troop and family housing, child development centers, schools, and other quality of life facilities. Sinema also worked to include funding that addresses PFAS contamination at Base Realignment and Closure installations. Sinema welcomed feedback from other Senators who have heard from military installations in their states about critical infrastructure requirements and, as a result, included over $1.3 billion in military construction projects in her legislation.

For the VA, Sinema's legislation allocates over $129 billion to provide health care for 9.2 million veterans and benefits to nearly 7 million veterans and their families. Sinema ensured her legislation enables the VA to hire additional claims processors to address the claims backlog - including claims resulting from expansions of eligibility related to toxic exposures and claims enabled under the Sinema-shaped PACT Act. Sinema also included a number of other policy priorities, including a longitudinal report on alternative therapies, innovations in wound treatment technologies, improving criteria for colorectal cancer screening, availability of nonaddictive opioid alternatives, funding for Neurology Centers of Excellence, and ensuring veterans have continued access to dialysis services. Funding all of these critical services will ensure American veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned through their service to our nation.

For related agencies, Sinema's legislation provides funding for the American Battle Monuments Commission, the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals, the Armed Forces Retirement Homes, and Arlington National Cemetery - including construction funding to ensure Arlington National Cemetery may continue to operate for decades to come.