House Gives Final Approval On VA Medical Center Funding

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24) helped pass legislation that will provide critical investments to Central Florida communities, including the $371 million that Kosmas requested to complete construction of the new Orlando VA Medical Center. The Consolidated Appropriations Act finalizes 2010 federal funding for priorities such as infrastructure, public safety, education and veterans' health care.

The new VA Medical Center will provide high quality care for Central Florida's veterans while supporting up to 2,500 jobs. Orlando is the largest U.S. metropolitan region without a VA hospital and numerous attempts to build a medical center have failed over the last 25 years.

"Completing the new state-of-the-art Orlando VA Medical Center will finally give Central Florida's 400,000 veterans the high quality care they need and deserve while creating jobs and boosting our economy," said Congresswoman Kosmas. "I am proud to work on behalf of our veterans to make the new medical center a reality and I look forward to the day when we can open its doors to the community."

The Consolidated Appropriations Act also restores funding cuts to NASA's exploration program made earlier this year in the House version of the Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) Appropriations Bill. Kosmas fought against the cuts by voting against the CJS bill and sending a bipartisan letter to appropriators with her colleague, Congressman Bill Posey (FL-15), urging that the funding be restored.

"I am glad that appropriators heeded my call to restore critical funding for exploration, but our work is not yet done," said Kosmas. "The Augustine Panel has made it clear that we must increase funding in order to conduct a meaningful human spaceflight program that will boost our economy and inspire this and future generations. It is our obligation and responsibility to ensure that America remains the world leader in space, science and technology and for me it is a top priority."

The Consolidated Appropriations Act includes the following appropriations bills: Transportation-HUD; Labor-HHS-Education; Commerce-Justice-Science; Military Construction-Veterans Affairs; Financial Services; and State-Foreign Operations. The bill is expected to be quickly approved by the Senate and sent to the President for his signature.

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