WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, introduced the Veterans First Act of 2025 on Tuesday, a measure aimed at reallocating $2 billion in taxpayer funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development to support repairs and renovations at State Veterans Homes nationwide. The bill, co-sponsored by Reps. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., Tony Wied, R-Wis., Bob Onder, R-Mo., and Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., seeks to prioritize funding for facilities that provide long-term care to veterans.

“Our veterans put America first in their service to our country, and it’s only fair that we return the favor,” Taylor said. “We should be directing taxpayer dollars to ensure our State Veterans Homes have the funding they need instead of sending it overseas for DEI initiatives in Serbia. Under President Trump, Republicans are getting our Nation’s priorities straight — and veterans are at the top of the list.”

The legislation targets more than 160 State Veterans Homes across the U.S., which collectively serve approximately 20,000 veterans. In Ohio alone, where Taylor represents the Second Congressional District, two such facilities — one in Georgetown and one in Sandusky — provide care to hundreds of veterans. According to the Ohio Department of Veterans Services, these homes support a significant portion of the state’s roughly 750,000 veterans, a population that ranks Ohio sixth in the nation for veteran residents, per 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

The Veterans First Act would redirect USAID funds to cover all outstanding Priority 1 VA State Home Construction grants, which are projects ready to begin once federal matching funds are secured. The Department of Veterans Affairs typically covers up to 65% of renovation costs through these grants, but funding shortages have led to delays, sometimes spanning years, as states await federal support to complement their own contributions.

In Ohio, the Georgetown and Sandusky homes have faced similar challenges. A 2022 VA report noted that many State Veterans Homes, including those in Ohio, require upgrades to aging infrastructure to meet modern care standards, with repair costs often exceeding available budgets. Nationwide, the VA estimates that deferred maintenance and construction needs at these facilities exceed $1 billion.

Taylor’s bill enforces a push under President Donald Trump to reorient federal spending toward domestic priorities, particularly veterans’ services. The $2 billion redirection aims to address immediate needs with a shift away from international aid programs, such as USAID’s DEI and funding other countries.

Taylor, a former assistant prosecutor and concrete business president from Clermont County, represents a district spanning 16 counties in southern and southeastern Ohio. He serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Agriculture Committee.

The full text of the Veterans First Act of 2025 is available online. If passed, the bill could expedite long-overdue repairs, ensuring safer and more comfortable living conditions for veterans like those in Ohio, where nearly 40,000 veterans are over age 75 and increasingly reliant on long-term care, according to VA data.