Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 30) to authorize major medical facility projects for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: S. 30
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act''. SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out the following major medical facility projects in fiscal year 2023 at the locations specified and in an amount for each project not to exceed the amount specified for such location:
(1) Construction of a community-based outpatient clinic and national cemetery in Alameda, California, in an amount not to exceed $395,000,000.
(2) Construction of a community living center and renovation of domiciliary and outpatient facilities in Canandaigua, New York, in an amount not to exceed $506,400,000.
(3) Construction of a new health care center in El Paso, Texas, in an amount not to exceed $700,000,000.
(4) Seismic upgrade and specialty care improvements in Fort Harrison, Montana, in an amount not to exceed $88,600,000.
(5) Realignment and closure of the Livermore campus in Livermore, California, in an amount not to exceed $490,000,000.
(6) Construction of a new medical facility in Louisville, Kentucky, in an amount not to exceed $1,013,000,000.
(7) Seismic retrofit and renovation, roadway and site improvements, construction of a new specialty care facility, demolition, and expansion of parking facilities in Portland, Oregon, in an amount not to exceed $523,000,000.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2023 or the year in which funds are appropriated for the Construction, Major Projects account, $3,716,000,000 for the projects authorized in subsection (a).
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Mr. BOST. 30.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 30. This bill would authorize VA major medical facility construction projects in California, New York, Texas, Montana, Kentucky, and Oregon.
As chairman, I have committed time and time again to provide the necessary funding that ensures our Nation's veterans receive the quality care they deserve.
It is well known that the VA healthcare system has serious infrastructure issues and needs critical renovations. Authorizing these projects will help the thousands of veterans who live in these six States have better access to care in modern settings.
I appreciate Senator Tester and Senator Moran for their work introducing this important bill. I also thank Representative Chavez- DeRemer for introducing a similar bill in the House. It has my full support today.
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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 30, Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act.
It is always my honor to address issues related to the wellbeing of the women and men who served and continue to serve our country.
As noted by the Congressional Budget Office, this bill authorizes the appropriation of $3.7 billion for fiscal year 2023 for the construction and renovation of seven major VA medical facilities for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
With approximately 360,000 employees, roughly 1,600 health care facilities, 144 medical centers, and 1,232 outpatient sites, the Department of Veterans Affairs remains one of the largest and most complex agencies in the U.S. Government.
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides health care to approximately 9 million veterans annually.
Over the past ten years, more than 60,000 veterans have died by suicide, and 20 veterans die by suicide each day.
Between 2005 and 2017, nearly 79,000 veterans killed themselves, more than the total number of troops who have died in the wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan combined (roughly 65,000).
There has never been a more urgent time than this that requires the urgent need for rebuilding the department's flailing infrastructure and resolving staffing shortage in VA medical facilities.
It is equally important to keep the focus on efforts to reduce wait times and availability by specialty, adequately address the veteran suicide rate, and find lasting solutions to the overall healthcare needs of our veterans.
It is therefore appropriate for this House to vote for this bill to ensure that the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) major medical facilities receive the needed attention that they deserve to meet the health needs of our veterans.
This bill does not only help with furnishing inpatient and outpatient care and treatment of veterans and their dependents, but also supports the care and treatment in non-VA facilities; community-based outpatient clinics, medical supplies, and equipment.
This bill will benefit the operations of VA medical centers (VAMCs) and other medical facilities, such as community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), Vet Centers, and other veteran-related community care programs.
It will also benefit many VA medical facility services like the Community Care Program (VCCP), the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program (CLFMP), CHAMPVA, the Foreign Medical Program (FMP), the Children of Women Vietnam Veterans Health Care Benefits Program (CWVV), and the Indian Health Service (IHS)/Tribal Health Programs (THP) Reimbursement Agreements Program.
I applaud President Biden's administration for keeping its promise to adopt a comprehensive public health and crisis sector approach to address suicide among veterans, service members, and their families within his first 200 days in office.
Since taking office, the Biden administration has made commendable progress in filling the department's 50,000 empty positions especially in ways that reflect the diversity that exists within the active-duty and veteran community.
This bill helps to build on that progress by addressing the department's aging infrastructure, which has been in place for roughly 58 years.
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