WASHINGTON – Congressman Michael Baumgartner today welcomed House passage of the Fiscal Year 2027 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) Appropriations bill, which fully funds veterans’ health care and benefits while investing in military readiness, family housing, and quality-of-life infrastructure that directly impacts Eastern Washington’s large veteran and military community. The measure was approved by a vote of 400-15. 

The bipartisan legislation provides $450.3 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, including full funding for veterans’ medical care, benefits, toxic exposure-related care, mental health programs, and VA facility modernization. The bill also continues support for veterans transportation programs that are especially important in rural communities where veterans often travel long distances to reach care. 

“Eastern Washington has one of the highest concentrations of veterans and servicemembers in the country, and this bill reflects our responsibility to support the men and women who served,” said Congressman Baumgartner. “For many veterans in our rural communities, getting to a medical appointment can mean driving several hours. Transportation programs connected to Mann-Grandstaff and regional VA clinics are not a luxury — they are a lifeline that helps veterans actually access the care they earned.”

“Supporting veterans means more than rhetoric,” Baumgartner added. “It means protecting benefits from inflation, improving access to care, supporting military families, and making sure communities like Eastern Washington continue to receive the resources needed to honor that service.”

In addition to fully funding veterans’ health care and benefits, the legislation includes major investments in military construction, barracks improvements, military family housing, child development centers, and infrastructure supporting military readiness and quality of life at installations across the country, including missions connected to Fairchild Air Force Base.  

Eastern Washington is home to one of the strongest military and veteran communities in the Pacific Northwest. Spokane County alone is home to nearly 42,000 veterans, while Fairchild Air Force Base supports thousands of servicemembers, civilian employees, and military families across the region. Many veterans throughout Eastern Washington rely on the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center and regional clinics for primary care, mental health services, and specialty treatment.

Read the full bill text here. A summary of the bill, before adoption of amendments, is available here.