New VA Hospital at Anschutz Medical Center Funding Passes House

July 10, 2009

Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) voted for and the House passed, H.R. 3082 - FY 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations, by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 415 to 3. Included in the bill is $119 million to begin construction for a 200 bed stand alone VA Medical Center with a 30 bed Spinal Cord Injury Unit at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

“I would like to thank the House VA and Appropriations Committees, Secretary Shinseki, Colorado’s Veteran Service Organizations and former and current members of the Colorado Congressional delegation for making a state-of-the-art VA Hospital in the 7th Congressional District a reality. This funding will help provide the Rocky Mountain region’s 700,000 veterans with centrally located world class medical care. Our veteran’s have sacrificed for us and now we must take care of them. This project is my top priority and I look forward to turning dirt at the Anschutz Medical Campus this year. I urge the Senate to quickly pass and the President to sign this important legislation into law,” stated Perlmutter.

* Click here to view video of Rep. Perlmutter’s floor speech in support of HR 3082

Congress has provided a 58 percent increase in funding for veterans health care and benefits since January 2007. This investment has resulted in an increase of 8,300 claims processors, 145 community-based outpatient clinics, 70 Vet Centers, and more than 47,000 additional Veterans Health Administration employees. This increase in resources will provide our veterans with improved access to health care and other services. Congress has also funded several initiatives to improve the quality of life for our military and their families to include: $2.8 billion for new military hospitals, $1 billion for new child care centers to serve 20,000 military children, and $570 million in additional funding for barracks.

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