Veterans Health Care Facilities Capital Improvement Act of 2011

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would like to thank the gentleman for his hard work on this bill as well as the chairman and the ranking member. I would also like to thank the gentleman for his service to this Nation in uniform and now on the VA Committee--a tireless advocate for our veterans. I think this piece of legislation authorizing the construction and some important things that you've just heard the gentleman talk about is a model for how we can do business here in a bipartisan manner--agreeing on things, discussing them, moving out of subcommittees, through the full committee, and now here to the House floor. So thank you for that.

Mr. Speaker, our most solemn obligation is to take care of the men and women who have served our Nation and to ensure that they have access to the benefits and the quality health care that they've so rightly earned. We have an obligation to make sure the places that they receive care are world class and safe.

H.R. 2646, as amended, would authorize $937,370,000 for seven major medical facilities. These projects include critical improvements to VA medical centers to protect them in the event of natural disasters and to protect our recovering veterans by addressing basic safety needs, such as adding fire extinguishers and abating existing asbestos. The projects also provide for state-of-the-art facilities and training centers to improve the care veterans receive and to make sure that veterans feel comfortable and welcome at all our facilities. Additionally, the bill would authorize funds for eight new major medical facility leases that will assist the VA in bringing health care closer to veterans and improve the quality of current health care services, especially in rural America.

It contains several extensions of authority for homeless programs and supportive services for very low-income veteran families. We owe it to our veterans to ensure they have access to secure, safe, clean housing that offers a supportive environment.

Finally, this bill extends programs that are critical for our veterans who suffer from mental health issues. Nearly 30 percent of the patients the VA sees during any given year have a mental health diagnosis. We've taken strides to address this ever-growing issue, but we still have a long way to go. With the growing number of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and with an increasing number of veterans suffering from mental health issues, we must work together to tackle this challenge, and this legislation helps by extending those programs.

I would certainly encourage my colleagues to do what's right by our veterans and to support this good piece of legislation, H.R. 2646, as amended.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I urge the support of this important piece of legislation. Again, I thank the gentleman from Ohio and the staff on both sides for putting together an important piece of legislation for America's veterans.

As I have no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time.

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