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U.S.
Senator Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees |
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Immediate Release |
CONTACT:
Cody Wertz
– Comm. Director Andrew
Nannis – Press Secretary |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Washington brings the 109th Congress to a close, the House and Senate voted today to keep its commitment to its veterans by passing S. 3421, the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006. Contained within the bill were two substantial victories for Colorado veterans, delivered by United States Senator Ken Salazar: the first authorization of funds for the development and construction of the Fitzsimons veterans’ hospital, and the creation of an Office of Rural Health within the Veterans’ Health Administration. S. 3421 contains language authorizing the federal government to spend $98 million to construct a state-of-the-art veterans’ hospital on the Fitzsimons campus. This will allow the V.A. to spend millions in previously appropriated funding and begin to move forward with development at Fitzsimons, including land acquisition and facility design. “This is the most important and exciting step forward for veterans throughout Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region to date on Fitzsimons,” said Senator Salazar. “Once the President signs this bill, Fitzsimons will move forward from an idea to reality.” Since coming to Washington, Senator Salazar has been playing a key role in moving the Fitzsimons project forward. In early 2005, just months after coming to Washington, Senator Salazar helped organize a joint briefing for the Colorado congressional delegation to ensure the delegation could speak with one, clear voice on Fitzsimons. Earlier this year, Senator Salazar helped maintain positive momentum on the project by reminding Congress of the importance of providing the VA with resources for capital improvements. In addition, Senator Salazar has helped ensure the project grows smartly by securing nearly $3 million in the FY07 transportation appropriations bill for improvements for I-225 at Colfax and 17th, the keystone of the Fitzsimons redevelopment and the number one regional transportation priority for DRCOG. S. 3421 also contains language creating within the Department of Veterans’ Affairs an Office of Rural Health, which will specifically focus on issues related to America’s substantial veterans population living in rural communities. Senator Salazar’s idea for a rural veterans’ health care office grew out of a bipartisan field hearing with veterans living in Colorado’s rural communities chaired by Senator Salazar. Senator Salazar teamed with Senator John Thune (R-SD) to champion a rural VA focus. “Nearly six million of our veterans live in rural areas, including tens of thousands in Colorado. They have unique health concerns and frequently are in poorer health than their urban counterparts,” said Senator Salazar. “There are no second-class veterans, and there should be no second-class care for any of our veterans, either. This Office of Rural Health will help to close this disparity.” The Office of Rural Health would be responsible for focusing on issues specific to rural veterans health care, including studying the possible expansion of fee-basis care (limited contracting out of some VA services) to improve care access for rural veterans. The Director of the Office would also be required to identify officials in each of the nation’s 23 Service Networks to be the point person for consulting on and coordinating research and policies in their respective areas. S. 3421 now goes onto the
President, who is expected to sign it into law.
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