Hoeven Honors Nation’s Veterans, Outlines Priorities Included in Milcon-VA Approps Bill

Hoeven Honors Nation's Veterans, Outlines Priorities Included in Milcon-VA Approps Bill

As Member of Appropriations Committee, Senator Included Provisions to Improve VA Health Care and Veterans Cemeteries

WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (Milcon-VA) Appropriations Committee, today honored the sacrifices of all those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces on Veterans Day. Hoeven outlined important priorities included in the Milcon-VA Appropriations bill that was part of an agreement to reopen the government that is advancing through Congress.

"Our nation's veterans have served honorably and made tremendous sacrifices to secure our liberties and keep us safe. Every day, but particularly on Veterans Day, we pay tribute to these brave Americans and thank them for their service," said Hoeven. "The best way to honor our veterans is by providing them with the benefits and recognition that they have earned. We included important provisions in this year's Milcon-VA funding bill to ensure that we keep our nation's promise to care for those who have served so honorably, including better access to care as well as a provision to help advance the Veterans Memorial Center at the Fargo National Cemetery."

Hoeven outlined important veterans priorities in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Milcon-VA appropriations bill. In addition to strong funding for veterans medical care and veterans benefits, the legislation:

• Supports construction of additional infrastructure at Rural Initiative national cemeteries, like the Fargo National Cemetery (FNC) and ensures the VA prioritizes investments that involve state and local contributions, similar to the Veterans Memorial Center being advanced by the Hoeven-led FNC working group.
• Improves veterans access to long-term care by recruiting and retaining more partners and pressing the VA to work toward permanently exempting providers from onerous contracting requirements at the Department of Labor.
• Expands access to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) by encouraging the VA to continue researching the therapy as a treatment for post-traumatic stress (PTS) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), while permitting case-by-case referrals for HBOT through VA Community Care.
  • Additionally, Hoeven secured funding and language supporting military construction priorities in North Dakota including:

• Continued nuclear modernization at the Minot Air Force Base. Hoeven included measures in the bill directing the Air Force to prioritize and fund security enhancements at Minot Air Force Base's existing Weapons Storage Area, and develop a plan, including a construction timeline for Sentinel launch facilities that incorporates concurrent construction at all three missile bases.
• $1.5 million in additional funding for the North Dakota National Guard's Jamestown Readiness Center.
• Hoeven-provision to ensure the Army National Guard meets lodging needs at facilities like Camp Grafton's Regional Training Institute.
  • The housing project is fully designed, supported by $2 million in funding Hoeven secured in FY2024.

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