Six Boebert Amendments Helping Veterans by Improving the VA Pass the House
Today, six of Congresswoman Boebert’s amendments increasing services for veterans passed the House. They will increase the availability of medical services, reduce the VA claims backlog, increase resources for suicide prevention and mental healthcare for veterans living in rural areas, increase funding for military funerals in areas without VA national cemeteries, increase resources for veterans’ telehealth, increase resources for veterans’ rural healthcare, construct additional extended care facilities for veterans, and more.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) stated, “By redirecting funds from the bureaucracy towards direct care for veterans, my six amendments that passed the House will deliver real results for veterans across Colorado’s Third District. From increasing funds for prosthetic research to reducing the backlog at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and from increasing suicide prevention resources for a program that has provided significant funding to the Third District to constructing new extended care facilities, my amendments will directly improve the quality of life for veterans across Colorado’s Third District.
“Don’t believe the lies from the other side of the aisle. I am committed to fully funding our veterans’ health care programs and funding veterans’ benefits and VA programs. The Republican veterans’ appropriations bill fully funds our veterans and even provides an increase of $1.5 billion above the discretionary funding level contained in the Democrats’ FY 2023 bill.”
Background:
Congresswoman Boebert’s six amendments to improve veterans’ benefits passed the House with unanimous bipartisan support as part of the bipartisan en bloc amendment package. Congresswoman Boebert spoke in favor of her six amendments on the House Floor:
Congresswoman Boebert’s amendments that passed the House include the following:
Boebert Amendment No. 89
Redirects $2,000,000 and provides additional funding for the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, veterans’ telehealth, and healthcare for veterans living in rural areas. The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program supports suicide prevention programs in Colorado’s Third District, including veterans’ services in Pueblo, Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Huerfano, Las Animas, Otero, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties.
Boebert Amendment No. 65
Redirects $3,000,000 and provides additional funding for increasing resources for medical research and prosthetic research. This funding will ensure that our veterans receive cutting-edge medical care from the VA.
Boebert Amendment No. 71
Redirects $2,000,000 and provides additional funding for helping the Board of Veterans’ Appeals reduce its backlog so that veterans’ claims can be adjudicated in a timely manner. The current backlog exceeds 200,000 cases and has prevented veterans from receiving the care they earned in a timely manner.
Boebert Amendment No. 91
Redirects $2,000,000 and provides additional funding for the National Cemetery Administration to increase access to burial benefits for veterans.
Boebert Amendment No. 92
Redirects $2,000,000 and provides additional funding grants for Construction of Veterans Cemeteries program to assist state and tribal governments in providing burial benefits for veterans in rural areas lacking a VA national cemetery.
Boebert Amendment No. 93
Redirects $2,000,000 and provides additional funding for the construction of new state extended care facilities for veterans.