U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar is celebrating a round of funding victories for the military in El Paso and beyond.
Escobar, D-El Paso, was among the bipartisan contingent that unanimously passed the Fiscal Year 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MILCON-VA) Appropriations bill out of the House Appropriations Committee.
The bill provides $481 billion overall, including $157 billion in discretionary funding for military construction and veterans’ affairs. Additionally, the bill increases spending on military mental health, including suicide prevention and women’s health and services.
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar speaks with Col. Brendan R. Gallagher before the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Bliss change of command ceremony between Gallagher and Col. Michael V. Soyka on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, at the Centennial Banquet and Conference Center at Fort Bliss, Texas.
“As a member of the MILCON-VA Subcommittee, I worked to ensure this bill delivers meaningful progress for our service members, our veterans, and communities like El Paso,” Escobar said in a news release. “While no bill is perfect, this legislation reflects thoughtful bipartisan work and includes important steps forward on oversight, innovation, and accountability.”
The bill has already been approved by the full U.S. House of Representatives and now advances to the U.S. Senate for final approval.
Support for El Paso veterans, Fort Bliss
The MILCON-VA bill is the VA’s primary funding bill for services nationwide, but Escobar was able to include vital language to support Fort Bliss and El Paso veterans. Following is a breakdown of some of that support:
El Paso VA Medical Center oversight: The Congresswoman wrote language in the legislation to require the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide detailed updates on activation planning for the new El Paso VA Medical Center, including staffing, equipment, and patient demand.
3D construction standards: The legislation encourages the Pentagon to accelerate the development of standardized building codes for additive manufacturing, helping military installations adopt innovative construction technologies more efficiently, as seen in the construction currently underway at Fort Bliss.
Support for Fort Bliss missions: The Congresswoman supported a measure that highlights the importance of the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, whose aging headquarters was built in the 1950s, and encourages planning for a modern headquarters to support its global mission.
More: Fort Bliss to take over command of southern border operations task force
What else is in the bill?
Beyond support for Fort Bliss and Borderland veterans, the military spending package allocates millions to veterans and military operations nationwide. Following is a breakdown of some of the key pieces of the bill championed by Escobar:
Veteran health care coordination: The legislation directs the VA to study ways to improve coordination for veterans who rely on multiple health systems, helping reduce gaps in care and improve outcomes.
Dialysis care protections: The bill reinforces the importance of maintaining and strengthening access to specialty dialysis services for veterans in regions like El Paso.
Expanded medical image sharing: Escobar advanced efforts to modernize the VA’s medical imaging systems, improving coordination between VA facilities, community providers, and federal partners.
Intergovernmental support agreements (IGSAs): The bill directs the Department of Defense to explore expanding the use of IGSAs for small-scale construction projects, a step toward making military construction faster, more flexible, and more cost-effective.
Herbicide exposure review in Puerto Rico: The VA is directed to evaluate historical herbicide testing in Puerto Rico and determine whether affected veterans are properly recognized and supported.
VA technology modernization oversight: The bill pushes for stronger data governance and responsible use of artificial intelligence to improve claims processing while maintaining accountability.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso military, veterans funding secured by US Rep. Veronica Escobar