CONGRESSMAN BISHOP OPPOSES FUNDING BILL THAT FALLS SHORT FOR VETERANS & MILITARY FAMILIES

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee voted against H.R. 3944, the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill.

“National defense is not just about weapons and strategy — it's about people. And this bill, as currently written, does not prioritize the needs of our people. Instead, it is laced with ideological provisions drawn from Project 2025,” said Congressman Bishop. “Veterans overwhelmingly want to be treated in VA hospitals and clinics — facilities tailored to their unique needs and staffed by professionals who understand the physical, emotional, and psychological costs of service. Instead of fortifying these institutions, this bill undermines them.”

“Equally troubling is the underfunding of military construction — particularly housing and childcare. These are not luxuries. They are necessities. A stable home, quality childcare — these are foundational to military readiness,” added Congressman Bishop. “When we fail to provide for the families of our service members, we degrade morale, retention, and focus. We cannot expect excellence from our armed forces if we do not support the very people who make that excellence possible.”

WATCH: Rep. Bishop Opposes FY26 MilConVA Funding Bill During Debate in U.S. House

H.R. 3944, the Fiscal Year 2026 funding bill for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs:

• Worsens the quality of life for servicemembers and their families and hurts military readiness by funding military construction $904 million below what is needed.
• Enacts the Project 2025 goal to privatize medical care for veterans by transferring billions to private hospitals and clinics, which will only lead to higher costs, longer wait times, poor communication and coordination, and diminished quality of care.
• Further limits reproductive healthcare, harming women veterans’ health.
• Jeopardizes our defense capabilities, military installations, servicemembers, and their families by failing to include dedicated funding to strengthen military installations against climate change, rising sea levels, and natural disasters.
• Does not fulfill the United States’ commitments to our allies by providing $188 million less than what is needed for NATO infrastructure.
• Increases veteran suicide risk by undermining the ability to keep guns out of the hands of those prohibited under Federal law from purchasing or possessing firearms.
• Includes partisan, “culture war” changes to existing law that hurt Americans and disenfranchise veterans rather than making VA a welcoming and inclusive place for all those who have sacrificed and served our country.

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