WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has voted in favor of legislation to fund military construction and programs for veterans. The measure, H.R. 2577, also appropriated federal dollars for transportation and housing needs. It passed the Senate by a vote of 89-8.

“Our veterans and active-duty military personnel deserve our full, unequivocal support,” Wicker said. “The goal of this spending bill is to make good on that commitment. The legislation would increase funding and expand health-care options for veterans, advance medical innovations, and upgrade current base infrastructure for military families. This bipartisan proposal marks another important milestone achieved by the Republican-led Senate on behalf of the American people.”

Additional highlights of the MilCon-VA Appropriations Bill for FY2017 include:

• Funding for continued support and care of 9.8 million eligible beneficiaries, including wounded U.S. troops abroad;
• Supporting the construction needs of the Guard and Reserve;
• Restoring funding for Veterans Choice Program removed by prior emergency funding requests;
• Permitting veterans who use Project ARCH (Access Received Closer to Home) to be enrolled in the Veterans Choice Program;
• Modernizing the VA electronic health record system; and
• Directing federal dollars to help clear the extensive backlog of disability claims.