The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday held a markup and approved the fiscal year (FY) 2027 Military Construction, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) bill by a unanimous vote of 58-0 (PDF). The Committee provided the full committee mark of the bill (PDF) and the accompanying report language (PDF).
The FY 2027 MilCon-VA spending bill provides $157 billion in discretionary funding, about $4 billion (3%) more than FY 2026. It includes $900 million for VA Medical and Prosthetic Research, a $45 million (4.8%) decrease below FY 2026.
The bill also includes a provision that would direct the VA to approve all VA research involving dogs, cats, and nonhuman primates and to submit a report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees justifying such research. In a previous version of the bill, this provision would have prohibited all VA research involving these animals. The AAMC joined an April 13 letter expressing concern about the earlier more restrictive version of Section 246 and urging Congress to remove or amend the provision in current and future appropriations legislation [refer to Washington Highlights, April 17]. The accompanying bill report directs the VA to notify the House and Senate Appropriations Committees whenever animal research is conducted at the department using non-VA funding.
Next, the House will consider the FY 2027 MilCon-VA spending bill on the floor.
- Washington Highlights