Sen. Cornyn To South Texas Veterans: I Won't Give Up The Fight For A South Texas VA Hospital

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Sen. Cornyn To South Texas Veterans: I Won't Give Up The Fight For A South Texas VA Hospital

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today hosted a video teleconference with several Veterans Service Organization (VSO) leaders from South Texas to voice his disappointment with the Majority Leader's refusal this week to allow a vote on his amendment to pave the way for a full-service VA hospital facility in South Texas. Sen. Cornyn reiterated his commitment to the veterans of South Texas and the fight for a VA hospital:

"I was glad to have the chance to speak directly this morning with the veterans who know firsthand the challenges that result from not having a VA hospital in South Texas. I've relied heavily on their input as I've sought to pass legislation to meet the inpatient needs of rural South Texas veterans," Sen. Cornyn said.

"We received an unfortunate setback yesterday, as the Majority Leader of the Senate refused to allow even a vote on my amendment that would have paved the way for a new full-service VA facility in South Texas. But in talking with several veterans today, we agreed this temporary setback only encourages us to double-up our efforts to bring this hospital to fruition.

"I will not give up the fight for a VA hospital facility in South Texas. Thousands of veterans are looking to Congress to lay the groundwork for this facility and I intend on doing my part to make this facility a reality."

South Texas has one of the highest per capita levels of veterans in the nation. The estimated 100,000 veterans in South Texas are sometimes forced to drive up to 250 miles for inpatient medical care.

Sen. Cornyn's legislation, the South Texas Veterans Access to Care Act of 2007, is a companion to legislation introduced in the U.S. House by U.S. Reps. Ortiz, Hinojosa, Doggett and Cuellar. The bill would require the VA Secretary to consider the following three options for meeting the inpatient needs of our veterans in Far South Texas:

* A project for a public-private venture to provide inpatient services and long-term care to veterans in an existing facility in Far South Texas; or
* A project for construction of a new full-service, 50-bed hospital with a 125-bed nursing home in Far South Texas; or
* A sharing agreement with a military treatment facility in Far South Texas

Then, within 180 days of enactment, the VA Secretary would be required to notify Congress which one of these options is most appropriate and then execute that option. If the VA Secretary decides the construction of a new VA hospital is the most appropriate option, Sen. Cornyn's amendment would authorize appropriations in the amount of $175 million for the project.

Sen. Cornyn's bill, S.1838, the South Texas Veterans Access to Care Act, has had solid bipartisan support with four senators cosponsoring: Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison, John Kerry, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Barack Obama. Sen. Cornyn is hopeful the Democrat co-sponsors of his bill will work with the Majority Leader to move this bill forward.

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