Underwood Supports Committee Passage of President Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda with Critical Investments for Veterans
WASHINGTON—Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) supported passage of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee's portion of President Biden's Build Back Better agenda, which makes critical investments in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) infrastructure. The legislation, which will now advance to the House Budget Committee, includes robust funding for resources that VA health care facilities desperately need to improve access to care and benefits for veterans.
"For too long, our failure to make necessary investments in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) infrastructure – including large and growing health care workforce shortages – has forced the VA to try to provide 21st-century care in buildings designed to serve veterans from World Wars I and II," said Congresswoman Underwood. "The resources included in President Biden's Build Back Better agenda will ensure the VA can meet the health care needs of our veterans now and in the future – including mental health investments that are urgently needed. I am proud to see this critically important legislation advance out of our Committee and I look forward to sending it to the President's desk to be signed into law – our veterans deserve nothing less."
The legislative proposals advanced by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs will provide $18 billion to:
· Rebuild VA's physical infrastructure
· Invest in VA's workforce
· Provide much needed updates to the support structures that serve our veterans
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