Biden to Veto 'Partisan' GOP Bill That Would Fund VA

President Joe Biden is expected to veto a proposal from House Republicans that would fund the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2025 as well as military construction projects.

In an administration policy statement on Monday, the White House Office of Management and Budget said it was "strongly" opposed to the passage of H.R. 8580 on the grounds that the appropriations bill would allegedly "result in deep cuts to law enforcement, education, housing, healthcare, consumer safety, energy programs that lower utility bills and combat climate change, and essential nutrition services."

"Similar to last year, H.R. 8580 includes numerous, partisan policy provisions with devastating consequences, including harming access to reproductive healthcare, threatening the health and safety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex Americans, endangering marriage equality, hindering critical climate change initiatives, and preventing the administration from promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion," the executive office wrote.

The Biden administration also opposes the proposed "realignment of military construction funding from priority projects to other projects."

"Contrary to the Administration's fiscally responsible policy to fully fund executable projects, the bill proposes to fund 11 military construction projects incrementally," the policy statement read. "This would effectively create an unfunded obligation of more than $832 million needed to successfully execute these projects over time, divert those funds to projects that either are not executable in FY 2025 or were not requested by the Administration, and reduce the amount available for other high priority military construction requirements in future years by a comparable amount."

The bill passed the House Appropriations Committee in a 34-25 vote last month.

Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee Chair John Carter, R-Texas, said the measure "reflects our deep commitment to our service members, both during their active-duty service and when they become veterans," according to the Washington Examiner.

"It addresses critical security challenges in the Pacific while ensuring our heroes receive the care they deserve," Carter said in a statement. "By fully funding veterans' healthcare and investing in quality-of-life improvements such as housing and child care, we uphold our promise to support those who serve."

Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., called the bill "a testament to our dedication to caring for those who selflessly served our nation, supporting our military families, and strengthening America's defense."

"We've fully funded healthcare and benefits for our veterans and ensured the quality of life of our troops and their loved ones are prioritized," he said in a statement. "We also enhance America's commitment to peace through strength by investing in key deterrence efforts in the Indo-Pacific."

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in his statement following the announcement, "The Biden Administration's veto threat sends a terrible signal to our nation's allies and adversaries alike. The President's push toward radical and woke policies is a continuing threat to our national security. His agenda is changing the focus of our military, undermining our readiness, and rejecting the promises made to our veterans. He must reverse course so we can again prioritize America's strength and safety."

Other administration objections include:

• Sections 113 and 412 of the bill, which would prohibit the closure or realignment of United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, or the construction or modification of facilities in the U.S. to house transferred Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility detainees.

• Section 255 of the bill, which would prevent the VA from using funds to implement, administer, or otherwise carry out the final rule published on March 4, which expanded access to abortion counseling and abortion under limited circumstances for certain veterans and VA beneficiaries.

• Section 256 of the bill, which would bar the VA from using funds to provide hormone therapies and surgical procedures for gender transition-related procedures.

• Section 259 of the bill, which would prevent the VA from carrying out a departmental directive designed to ensure most Veterans Health Administration healthcare personnel receive COVID-19 vaccines.

• Section 261 of the bill, which would prohibit the VA from reporting a person determined to be mentally incompetent during the VA benefits evaluation process without the order or determination of a judge, magistrate, or other judicial authority.

• Section 257 of the bill, which would bar using funds to display any but the listed flags, including flags showing support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex veterans and American citizens.

• Section 416 of the bill, which would prevent using funds earmarked by the bill or in previous appropriations acts to take "discriminatory action" regarding persons who do not support same-sex marriage due to a "sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction."