Rep. Mike Levin Advances Millions in New Funding to Help Enroll Veterans in Healthcare Services
Veterans Spending Bill Provides Over $2 Million for County Veteran Service Officers
Watch Rep. Levin’s House Floor Remarks Here
Washington, D.C—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) advanced new federal funding in the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) budget bill to help veterans enroll in healthcare services and support veterans exposed to toxic chemicals while they served. The FY27 MilCon-VA bill passed the House and now heads to the Senate for a vote.
The budget bill includes $2 million to implement the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act, a bipartisan bill led by Rep. Levin that was signed into law in 2024. Currently, out of 15.8 million veterans in the United States, fewer than half are enrolled in VA healthcare services. The new funding would establish a grant program to help state and local governments hire and train more county veteran service officers—the people on the ground connecting veterans to the care and benefits they have earned.
“I represent Marines and Sailers on Camp Pendleton—some of the most capable, disciplined, and battle-ready men and women this nation has ever produced. So, when this Congress funds the military and our veterans, I take that responsibility seriously,” said Rep. Levin on the House Floor. “I’m proud to be a Member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, and pleased that we were collectively able to put our service members and our veterans over politics. That is how this work is supposed to get done, and this bill is proof that it still can be.”
The FY27 MilCon-VA bill also includes $53.7 billion for the Toxic Exposure Fund established under the bipartisan PACT Act. This funding will help veterans exposed to toxic chemicals while they served our country in uniform.
Read Rep. Levin’s House Floor remarks in support of the budget bill as prepared for delivery below:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m so honored to represent the Marines and Sailors on Camp Pendleton — some of the most capable, disciplined, and battle-ready men and women this nation has ever produced. So, when this Congress funds the military and our veterans, I take that responsibility very seriously.
I’m proud to be a Member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, and pleased that we were collectively able to put our service members and our veterans over politics.
That is how this work is supposed to get done, and this bill is proof that it still can be. My thanks to the Chair and the Ranking Member for their hard work.
Before serving on Appropriations, I served on the Veterans Affairs Committee for six years. During that time, we passed the PACT Act and established the Toxic Exposure Fund, because this country made a promise to our veterans that were exposed to toxic chemicals while they served, and that promise doesn't expire no matter what's happening politically in Washington, D.C.
I’m so glad this bill delivers on that promise with advance funding for the Toxic Exposure Fund, and I am so proud of that bipartisan work as it continues.
This bill also includes $2 million to implement the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act, or CVSO Act, a bipartisan bill I led that was signed into law as part of the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Act.
Right now, out of 15.8 million veterans in this country, fewer than half are enrolled in VA health care. That is unacceptable.
This funding will establish a grant program to help state and local governments hire and train more county veteran service officers — those are the people on the ground doing the work connecting veterans to the care and benefits they’ve earned.
I supported this bill in committee, and I urge my colleagues to protect this bipartisan compromise and reject any amendments that would jeopardize it.
While it’s not perfect, as the bill stands, I am encouraged that even in this moment when we still come together across the aisle we can do big things to serve our military and our veterans.
Thank you, I yield back.
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