U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) has supported the committee passage of an FY2026 appropriations bill, which allocates $60 million for military construction in Mississippi. The bill, developed by the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Subcommittee, has received full-committee approval and is now set for consideration by the full Senate.
“Mississippians take pride in our bases and institutions that support our national defense. Those facilities are in constant need of upgrades and improvements to ensure our fighting forces are the best trained and equipped in the world. This appropriations bill moves those projects forward,” stated Hyde-Smith. “It also recommends strong funding to meet our national commitments to our veterans and their families. I look forward to Senate consideration of this important and fiscally-responsible bill.”
Hyde-Smith collaborated with the MilCon-VA Appropriations Subcommittee to secure specific allocations for Mississippi within the Senate measure. The committee-approved bill maintains $171 million in funding for VA grants related to State Extended Care Facilities construction. During a budget review hearing in June, Hyde-Smith voiced concerns regarding the administration of this program affecting state-owned veterans homes in Mississippi and nationwide.
Additionally, the legislation provides $79 million for the Armed Forces Retirement Home Trust Fund, which supports operations at facilities located in Gulfport and Washington, D.C.
Overall, the bill proposes $433.6 billion in mandatory and discretionary funding for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to support various programs including compensation, benefits, pensions, education, vocational rehabilitation, life insurance, and housing loans for veterans.
