Statement of Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, Veterans Committee Hearing, Authorization Legislation for the Department of Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Construction Projects, June 11, 2003 (2 pages)

Statement of Congresswoman Shelley Berkley Veterans Committee Hearing Authorization Legislation for the Department of Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Construction Projects June 11,2003 Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing today. A new multi-specialty outpatient clinic in Las Vegas is essential to meet the current and future needs of veterans in my district. I am thankful that Ranking Member Evans, Secretary Principi and this committee have made a new clinic a high priority. Veterans in my district need one multispecialty outpatient clinic with four satellite community clinics as recommended in the VA report on "Future Health Care Options for Southern Nevada Veterans." Undersecretary Roswell, as you know, I have been working closely with Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that the health care needs of Las Vegas veterans are met with a multispecialty outpatient clinic. In addition to devoting significant staff time and office resources to ensure completion of this project, I invited the Secretary into my office last October to discuss the need for a replacement clinic, hosted the Secretary's visit to Las Vegas, and organized a town hall meeting to discuss the health concerns of veterans. After discovering that neither a lease back option or major construction project was designated for Las Vegas in the VA FY 04 budget, I pursued every avenue to secure funding for a multi-specialty clinic in Las Vegas. My commitment to this project has remained constant, and up until this point, I have enjoyed a truly collaborative working relationship with the VA. Yesterday, as I read through your testimony for this hearing, I discovered that the VA chose a lease back option rather than a major construction project for the Las Vegas clinic. I was not contacted by you or your office informing me that this decision had been made. This is a decision that directly affects my community, and I would have expected that the VA, knowing my interest and dedication to this project, would have communicated this major development to me. I want to be clear. I am not supporting one option over the other. That decision is best left to the expertise of the VA. However, I am truly disappointed with the lack of communication. As this project continues to develop, it is essential for us to share information about decisions that directly affect the veterans community in Las Vegas. Our top priority should be meeting the needs of veterans in Las Vegas, and I hope that we will work closely in the coming months. Questions for Under Secretary Roswell Dr. Roswell, at this time, I would appreciate if you could share with the committee the specifics regarding the lease-back option for a multi-specialty veterans health care clinic in Las Vegas. Is the VA still committed to providing one multi-specialty clinic with a Veterans Benefits Satellite Regional Office and four additional Community Based Outpatient Clinics located through out the community within three years, as reported in the "Future Health Care Options for Southern Nevada Veterans." (