Walter Reed Hospital

WALTER REED HOSPITAL

Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, at yesterday's hearing on Walter Reed, I asked the brass whether putting Walter Reed on the BRAC closure list had affected the hospital's staffing and stability. All responded that it had. Army Vice Chief of Staff Cody said, ``We're trying to get the best people. Who would want to sign up to work at a hospital that might be closing?'

You don't close your premium military hospital in the middle of a shooting war and the war on terrorism. I can't imagine that Congress would spend $3 billion on bricks and mortar that could go to wounded soldiers and to veterans. Yet as long as BRAC mandates closure, vital staff who value their careers get the closure signal.

This week I intend to file a bill to keep Walter Reed open. Too much harm has been done already. Let's not compound Walter Reed's problems by keeping a costly closure threat on the books.

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