With unanimous support, the Minnesota Senate today passed legislation that makes critical investments into Veteran services across the state. This bill includes provisions that provide post-service resources, expand housing options, and fund enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses. The sole focus of this bill is to meet the needs of Veterans across Minnesota. 

“It’s very important we got this critical bill done to help our Veterans,” Senator Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids) said. “I have been working on getting funding for the Bemidji Veterans Home Project ever since I joined the Senate. I am grateful our Northern Minnesota Veterans will be able to be taken care of in this outstanding new facility. Our Veterans fought for our country and they deserve to honored.” 

Notably, this bill includes funding for upgrades and completion of three new veterans’ homes across the state including one in Bemidji. Last year, homes in Bemidji, Preston, and Montevideo secured the federal funding necessary to complete construction. Funding in this bill serves as the final capstone to make these homes operational by providing upgrades and improvements to strengthen the structures, and medical equipment and internal fixtures needed to make the homes operational. 

To compete with the modern workforce, the bill also provides necessary funding for an enlistment and re-enlistment bonus program, which will serve as an incentive for retaining and recruiting servicemembers.

The bill includes language to honor the historical tradition of providing bonuses to service members that served during global conflicts. With the end of the Global War on Terror last year, the bill allocates $24 million for post-war bonuses to Minnesota Veterans that served after September 11, 2001.