VETERANS: Murray Applauds Investments in Caregivers, Childcare, Mental Health, and Other Veteran Priorities

Murray: “We owe our veterans the highest quality care and support – and I am glad this committee has recognized some key provisions today to help us get closer to that goal.”

(Washington, D.C.) Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Veterans’ Affairs and Appropriations Committees, applauded successful passage through committee of an appropriations bill that includes several of her priorities to help military families. The bill included several provisions requested by her, including an additional $10 million above the President’s request for the VA Caregivers Program, $3 million to expand Senator Murray’s child care pilot program, and strong investments in mental health care services for veterans. It also included a provision to survey providers using the Choice Program to help improve service to veterans.

Also included was a provision to ensure transparency and fairness in the next round of basing for the KC-46A, and her amendment to allow the VA to cover the costs of reproductive services for veterans who suffered injuries that prevent them from starting families, a major win after facing many hurdles in the Veterans’ Affairs Committee last year. The Fiscal Year 2017 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations bill passed the committee and now moves to the full Senate.

“We owe our veterans the highest quality care and support – and I am glad this committee has recognized some key provisions today to help us get closer to that goal,” said Senator Murray. “And whether that’s supporting caregivers and thanking them for their sacrifice or investing and expanding in mental health care programs, I will keep fighting for our veterans and push for these provisions to keep moving forward.”

Senator Murray, a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the daughter of a World War II veteran, has consistently called on her colleagues to improve veteran care—she called for an overhaul to the VA Choice Program, and urged her colleagues to support her bill to help homeless veterans, which passed the Senate and is now awaiting action in the House. Senator Murray will continue fighting to allow the VA to cover fertility services for veterans by moving her amendment forward, and to expand the Caregivers Program, which supports relatives and friends of veterans who provide care for seriously injured veterans.