House Passes VA Funding:

: By a vote of 407-12, the House Thursday night overwhelming passed the Military Construction/VA funding bill despite threats of a veto by the Administration. To see how your representative voted, click on http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll305.xml. The bill, H.R. 5854, provides $146.4 billion dollars for FY 2013, which is a 10-percent increase above last year's levels. VA funding includes $54.5 in Advanced Appropriations for medical care, a boost for medical services and increases for jobs and disability programs for veterans. House members voted to withhold funding on the DOD-VA integrated medical record project until both departments implement recommendations made by GAO earlier this year. It also provides: * $6.2 billion for mental health services * $5.8 billion for homeless veterans programs * $35 million for continued research on the effects of PTSD and TBI * $174 million for expansion of Arlington National Cemetery * $1.1 billion for major and minor construction projects * $1.7 billion for family and military personnel housing For the committee press release and a list of amendments, go to http://appropriations.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=297903.