The Colorado Statesman - Delegation Firm on Finishing Aurora Hospital, Holding VA Accountable

Op-Ed

By Senator Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner and Representatives Ed Perlmutter and Mike Coffman

Like most Coloradans, the Congressional delegation was shocked and appalled in March when the Department of Veterans Affairs first informed us the VA replacement medical center in Aurora would cost a staggering $1.73 billion. The delegation had worked together to support an $800 million facility and helped authorize funds accordingly. These cost overruns and the VA's mismanagement of taxpayer dollars are unacceptable.

The cost estimate came after the VA attempted to cover up for its years of incompetence with a lousy legal strategy. The agency moved forward with that strategy even as the delegation urged it to engage in mediation instead. But in December 2014, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals ruled against the VA on every count in a lawsuit the contractor, Kiewit Turner, filed against the agency. As a result, the contractor exercised its right to halt construction until VA provided more funding to cover its expenses, adding additional delays and costs to the project.

Despite numerous pleas from Members of Congress, it took the VA another three months to assess the project's progress and develop a new cost estimate. By that point, Congress had only a few weeks to act before the existing spending cap would be reached and all funds in the VA's construction accounts would be spent.

Despite exceptionally difficult circumstances, the Colorado delegation has now twice secured short-term legislation preventing another costly shutdown of the project. The legislation and additional funding we've secured will allow the project to continue through September.

This piecemeal approach is not sustainable. It is unfair to the project's contractor and subcontractors, who require certainty to plan construction. It's also unfair to veterans and taxpayers, who deserve to know the VA has a plan to get this project done.

We have an important window of opportunity over the next three months. The leadership of the VA and congressional leaders must work together to find a long-term funding plan to complete this medical center.

In order to find funding to complete this project, the VA must work to identify waste and excess within the VA budget without harming veteran's healthcare or benefits. We urge the VA, Congressional leaders and the Obama administration to identify funding options to complete this medical facility Rocky Mountain veterans desperately need and deserve.

Finally, steps must be taken to hold those responsible for this project's mismanagement accountable and reform the VA to protect taxpayers from another similar debacle in the future.

One of the first steps toward that goal is in legislation we have sponsored to transfer VA major construction authority to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, an agency with a track record of building similar hospitals for our nation's active duty military men and women on time and on budget. With its history of cost overruns, project delays, and a general lack of accountability, we believe it is time for Congress to refocus the VA back to its core mission and leave major construction management to the professionals.

Despite the extraordinary failures by the VA, the Colorado Congressional delegation has worked together in support of shared goals: ensuring construction continues, ensuring the Aurora VA facility is completed for Rocky Mountain veterans, and ensuring such a debacle never happens again.

Some in Congress may feel the problems with this project are specific to just our state or region, but the men and women who earned these healthcare benefits did so not in the service of Colorado but in service to our entire nation. They deserve the support of all Americans.

We plan to seize this current window of opportunity to do everything we can to find a solution to complete this medical center and guarantee Rocky Mountain Veterans receive the health care they need.

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