Brian Mast: No vote for spending plan without money for VA, dike, opioids, disaster relief

Rep. Brian Mast said he refuses to vote yes on the spending plan Congress was negotiating Thursday unless it includes more money for his constituents.

Mast, R-Palm City, announced his plans in a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan Wednesday, saying he wanted more money for:

Water infrastructure, including Herbert Hoover Dike repairs

Disaster relief

Department of Veteran Affairs' facilities nationwide

The national opioid crisis.

Mast is the first member of Florida's congressional delegation to publicly threaten to vote against the spending plan.

Some Republicans nationwide, including members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, expressed concerns with the plan because it raises the deficit.

Some Democrats nationwide have threatened to vote against the bill because it doesn't include protections for Dreamers. Others said they will support the bill because it would provide funding that heads toward their constituents.

Dike repairs

Mast told TCPalm Thursday that fully funding the Herbert Hoover Dike-strengthening project is a top priority for him and other members of Florida's congressional delegation.

The Army Corps of Engineers estimated it will cost $800 million to finish the project, which has cost $940 million since 2001.

"It's so uncertain year after year after year," Mast said of the funding allocations.

President Donald Trump has promised to fast-track completion of the dike project.

Mast and other politicians say a stronger dike will hold more water and reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. However, the Corps repeatedly has said that's not necessarily true.

Disaster relief

A major disaster relief package is another of Mast's priorities.

Florida lawmakers have fought to get additional funding since Hurricane Irma hit the state in September.

The package would include nearly $90 billion to help rebuild U.S. communities in states and territories hit by hurricanes Irma, Maria and Harvey, and wildfires in the West.

It also sets aside more than $2.3 billion for agricultural assistance, mostly for Florida's battered citrus industry.

Mast has talked to Treasure Coast-based citrus industry workers for months. Hurricane Irma decimated crops across the state, causing about $760 million in damages.

"We really want to make sure they know they have not been forgotten," Mast said.

VA funding

Mast, an Army veteran who lost both legs in Afghanistan, received medical treatments at VA hospitals. He said veterans aren't receiving the medical treatment they deserve, and more money needs to head toward programs and facilities.

Mast pointed out two particular issues he'd like to see fixed:

The Fort Pierce outpatient clinic doesn't have an automated door, so patients struggle to enter the building, Mast said.

The West Palm Beach hospital's water supply contains Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, Mast said.

"If we receive more funding, we could see this change, not just locally but in VA facilities around the country," Mast said.

Opioid funding

Mast wants between $5 billion and $6 billion to combat the national epidemic.

He said he'd like the money for treatment as well as prevention and education programs, such as those in local schools.

"These resources would directly go to those who are fighting their hardest on the ground," Mast said.