House Passes First Spending Bill in Partisan Vote

Published on June 5, 2024

The House on June 5 passed its first appropriations bill for the 2025 fiscal year. The final tally on the 92-page bill to fund military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and related agencies was 209-197. Four Democrats joined 205 Republicans in voting for it, while two Republicans joined 195 Democrats in voting against it. The measure, commonly known as MilCon-VA, has a top line of more than $129.56 billion, about $5.69 billion less than what was allocated this year. The funding would take effect between Oct. 1 and Sept. 30, 2025. The bill funds veterans’ health care programs and benefits, in addition to VA programs. It also includes $2 billion for military family housing and $1 billion towards initiatives in the Pacific, including funding for Guam and dedicated funding for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the U.S. military focus in the region amid the threat from China....

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