Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. SOTO. Mr. Chair, I want to commend the members of the House Committee on Appropriations, specifically the members of the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veteran Affairs, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations bill for including robust funding for Major Projects Construction.

This funding for the construction, alteration, extension, and improvement of any facilities within the jurisdiction or use of the Department of Veteran Affairs will help all VA hospitals expand access to health care to veterans. For example, the Lake Nona VA Medical Center located in my district has grown substantially since established in 2006. The Lake Nona VA Medical Center serves more than 110,000 veterans in Central Florida and includes a 120-bed Community Living Center, two Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs/Domiciliaries, located at both Lake Nona Campus and the Lake Baldwin Campus, one Health Care Center in Viera, two large multi- specialty Satellite Outpatient Clinics in Orlando and Daytona Beach, and four Community-Based Outpatient Clinics located in Clermont, Kissimmee, Orange City, and Tavares.

A facility expansion of the Lake Nona VA Medical Center would add at least additional twenty beds for inpatient mental health care and three additional floors for intensive and surgical rehabilitation. I am proud of the healthcare provided by Lake Nona VA Medical Center to veterans in the Central Florida. I believe Congress should continue to provide the resources necessary to allow for expansion and improvement of facilities under the jurisdiction of the Department of Veteran Affairs and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to support this goal.

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