U.S. Rep. Nick Lalota, District 1 | Twitter Website
U.S. Rep. Nick Lalota, District 1 | Twitter Website
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County), a Navy Veteran, announced his support for the recently passed Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. The legislation includes provisions authored by LaLota aimed at supporting the Long Island State Veterans Home, addressing PFAS contamination at the former Grumman site in Calverton, confronting mental health challenges, and tackling toxic exposure.
“As a Navy Veteran, I’m proud to have helped pass a strong bill to support my fellow Veterans and put Long Island first. In addition to fully funding Veteran health care benefits, this bill includes several provisions I fought for,” said LaLota. “Specifically, I’m proud to have secured provisions to support PFAS cleanup at the former Grumman site in Calverton, support the Long Island State Veterans Home, support Veteran mental health, and address toxic exposure, including Liver Fluke. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass all twelve appropriations bills on time.”
The bill incorporates five amendments proposed by LaLota:
- Funding for additional grants to expedite construction projects at State Veterans Homes such as the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook.
- Accelerating PFAS remediation efforts at closed military installations where contamination affects local drinking water, including the former Grumman site in Calverton.
- Support for peer-to-peer mental health programs that provide veterans with space to share their experiences and receive support from fellow veterans.
- Support for herbicide-related toxic exposure research aimed at improving medical care and treatments linked to harmful chemical exposures.
- Support for Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), including the Riverhead CBOC.
The bill fully funds VA health care benefits related to toxic exposure needs and strengthens national security through investments in military construction projects focused on the Indo-Pacific region and military family housing.
Key allocations within the bill include:
- $50 million for PFAS remediation in the Base Realignment and Closure Account
- $3.15 billion for suicide prevention and outreach programs
- $582.55 million specifically for suicide prevention outreach
- $306.683 million for the Veterans Crisis Line
- $1.1 billion each for barracks housing projects and critical investments in the Indo-Pacific region
###
Alerts Sign-up