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Staff Contact: Brad Watson (x69719) June 15, 2007

**Appropriations Policy Brief**

**H.R. 2642 --- Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
Appropriations for FY 2008**

[**Earmarks:**]{.underline}

The Committee Report states: "The Committee provides no recommendation
at this time for specific projects contained in either the
Administration's budget or proposed by Members of Congress. Individual
project allocations will be considered comprehensively after the
Committee has properly analyzed all relevant information."

By way of comparison, see this RSC analysis of the [FY 2007 Military
Quality of Life Appropriations
bill](http://www.house.gov/hensarling/rsc/doc/LB_051906_MilQualAppropsFY07.doc),
and the list of earmarks, as brought before the House last year.

**[Items of Note]{.underline}:**

[]{.mark}

**Military Construction**: \$9.7 billion---increase of \$3.7 billion, or
61 percent, compared to FY 2007.

**BRAC**: \$8.4 billion---increase of \$5.7 billion, or 208 percent,
compared to FY 2007.

**Veterans Benefits Administration**: \$44.6 billion---increase of \$3.2
billion, or 7.7 percent, compared to FY 2007.

**Veterans Health Administration**: \$37 billion---increase of \$4.4
billion, or 13.6 percent, compared to FY 2007.

**Veterans Affairs, Departmental Administration**: \$5.9
billion---increase of \$2.3 billion, or 63 percent, compared to FY 2007.

[**Funding Summaries:**]{.underline}

*In Thousands*

  ------------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ----------- -------- -----------
                     **FY 07      **FY 08      **FY 08      **Cmte Over  **Cmte Over **% Over **% Over
                     Enacted**    Request**    Cmte**       FY07**       Request**   FY07**   Request**

  **Department of                                                                              
  Defense**                                                                                   

  Military           1,973,973    4,039,197    4,070,959    2,096,986    31,762      106.2%   0.8%
  Construction, Army                                                                          

  Military           1,103,321    2,104,276    2,119,276    1,015,955    15,000      92.0%    0.7%
  Construction, Navy                                                                          

  Military           1,080,306    912,109      922,109      -158,197     10,000      -14.6%   1.1%
  Construction, Air                                                                           
  Force                                                                                       

  Military           1,016,771    1,799,336    1,779,336    782,565      0           77.0%    0.0%
  Construction,                                                                               
  Defense-Wide                                                                                

  Military           850,871      695,201      795,201      -55,670      100,000     -6.5%    14.4%
  Construction,                                                                               
  Reserve Components                                                                          

  NATO Security      204,789      201,400      201,400      -3,389       0           -1.6%    0.0%
  Investment                                                                                  

  Family Housing,    4,021,258    2,932,483    2,932,483    -1,088,755   0           27.1%    0.0%
  Total                                                                                       

  Base Realignment & 2,741,700    8,395,004    8,445,004    5,703,304    50,000      200.8%   0.6%
  Closure                                                                                     

  Chemical           131,000      86,176       86,176       -44,824      0           -34.2%   0.0% 
  Demilitarization                                                                            
  Construction                                                                                

  Total, Dept of     13,123,989   21,165,182   21,371,944   8,247,955    206,762     62.8%    1.0%
  Defense                                                                                     

  **Department of                                                                              
  Veterans Affairs**                                                                          

  Compensation and   38,007,095   41,236,322   41,236,322   3,229,227    0           8.5%     0.0%
  Pensions                                                                                    

  Medical Services   25,518,254   27,167,671   28,906,400   3,388,146    1,738,729   13.3%    6.4%

  Medical            3,177,968    3,442,000    3,635,600    457,632      193,600     14.4%    5.6%
  Administration                                                                              

  Medical Facilities 3,569,533    3,592,000    4,100,000    530,467      508,000     14.8%    14.1%

  Medical and        413,980      411,000      480,000      66,020       69,000      15.9%    14.3%
  Prosthetic                                                                                  
  Research                                                                                    

  General Operating  1,481,473    1,471,837    1,598,500    117,027      126,663     7.9%     8.6%
  Expenses                                                                                    

  National Cemetery  160,747      166,809      170,000      9,253        3,191       5.8%     1.9%
  Administration                                                                              

  Inspector General  70,641       72,559       76,500       5,859        3,901       8.3%     5.4%

  Construction,      399,000      727,400      1,410,800    1,011,800    683,400     253.6%   94.0%
  Major Projects                                                                              

  Construction,      198,937      233,396      615,000      416,063      381,604     209.1%   163.5%
  Minor Projects                                                                              

  Grants, Construct  85,000       85,000       165,000      80,000       80,000      94.1%    94.1% 
  State Extended                                                                              
  Facilities                                                                                  

  Grants, Construct  32,000       32,000       37,000       5,000        5,000       15.6%    15.6%
  State Veterans                                                                              
  Cemeteries                                                                                  

  Total, Dept of     77,761,944   83,903,751   87,696,839   9,934,895    3,793,088   12.8%    4.5%
  Veterans Affairs                                                                            

  **Related                                                                                    
  Agencies**                                                                                  

  American Battle    42,000       53,100       54,470       12,470       1,370       29.7%    2.6%
  Monuments                                                                                   
  Commission                                                                                  

  U.S. Court of      20,189       21,217       21,397       1,206        180         6.0%     0.8%
  Appeals for                                                                                 
  Veterans Claims                                                                             

  Armed Forces       57,227       61,624       56,524       -703         -5,100      1.2%     8.3%
  Retirement Home                                                                             

  DOD Civil          30,000       26,892       30,592       592          3,700       2.0%     13.8%
  Cemeteries                                                                                  
  Expenses (Army)                                                                             

  Total, Related     149,416      162,833      162,983      13,567       150         9.1%     0.1%
  Agencies                                                                                    
  ------------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ----------- -------- -----------