House passes veterans funding 218-206 with near-unanimous GOP support

In Jun. 2025 the House passed the FY-26 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) spending bill by a 218-206 margin, with nearly all Republicans voting yes and nearly all Democrats voting no.

The MilCon-VA appropriations bill combines funding for military construction projects (bases, facilities, infrastructure) and veterans healthcare.

The Department of Veterans Affairs operates 170 medical centers and over 1,000 outpatient clinics serving 9 million veterans nationwide.

Full funding means veterans receive timely VA care without rationing services, facility closures, or waiting lists caused by budget shortfalls.

If Congress fails to appropriate sufficient funds, the VA would be forced to ration care, close facilities, reduce staff, delay equipment purchases, and institute waiting lists.

Under the Constitution’s Appropriations Clause (Art. I, Sec. 9, Cl. 7), Congress has exclusive authority to appropriate federal funds; the president cannot spend on veterans healthcare without congressional approval.

After House passage, the Senate must pass an identical or similar bill; if there are differences, both chambers negotiate a conference agreement before sending a final bill to the president.