West Florida News

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives approved U.S. Representative Greg Steube’s amendment to H.R. 8580, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The amendment prohibits the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from using any funds from this act to process medical claims for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Health Service Corps at the Department of Homeland Security.

“Congress appropriates funds to the VA exclusively to provide care for our nation’s veterans, not for the wave of illegal immigrants in our country thanks to Biden’s Border Crisis. After the alarming admission by the VA that VA employees indeed assist ICE with processing medical claims for illegals, our nation’s veterans are owed an apology – particularly those who have suffered unsatisfactory VA experiences. However, our government must do better than apologies,” said U.S. Rep. Greg Steube. “Today, my amendment passed the House to ensure not a single dime of Americans’ taxpayer dollars will continue funding this insulting arrangement. The VA must focus 100% of its attention on those who sacrificed in defense of our freedoms.”

The amendment is supported by Concerned Veterans for America.

“The VA’s mission is to serve veterans, not to do paperwork for ICE and the border patrol. Veterans are suffering and even dying while waiting for timely health care as the VA blocks community care access, yet the agency facilitates treatment for unauthorized migrants. Rep. Steube’s amendment to end VA-ICE agreements keeps the VA focused on veterans,” said CVA Executive Director Russ Duerstine.

Rep. Steube led 23 of his House colleagues in a December letter demanding answers from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough regarding early reports that the VA diverted resources intended for veterans in order to process medical claims for illegal immigrants.

Congressman Steube has been a champion for Florida’s veterans and fought to deliver healthcare they deserve. Despite representing one of the country’s largest veteran populations, the VA hospital serving Florida’s 17th Congressional district ranks in the bottom 5% of veteran hospitals nationally. Florida has the third-largest veteran population in the nation, with 1.4 million veterans residing in Florida, including 446,270 service-connected disabled veterans.

Rep. Steube continues to advocate for his priority legislation to give veterans true choice when it comes to their healthcare.