[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 10, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1754]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  LEGISLATION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF VA FACILITY IN EAST-CENTRAL FLORIDA

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                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 10, 2003

  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I rise as a member 
of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, as a Congresswoman from 
Florida, to offer legislation that authorizes $170 million for 
construction of a much-needed VA facility in East-Central, Florida.
  The legislation comes about after VA released, to the Capital Assets 
Realignment for Enhanced Services Commission, a draft report for VA 
review. The draft report recommends that Florida's East-Central Market 
receive a new hospital.
  Florida's Central Market has the largest workload gap and the 
greatest infrastructure investment need of any market in the United 
States. The CARES draft report states that the logical choice for a new 
hospital in Florida is Orlando. There is a former 150-bed Naval 
Hospital in Orlando, originally designed for two additional floors, 
which can be restructured to take on additional services.
  This will mean a big difference in many veterans' lives because 
currently more than 50 percent of them must travel 60 miles or one hour 
to the nearest VA facility. This is a problem that must be addressed 
now. Veteran population growth within a two-hour radius continues 
unabated. If a new facility is not available to veterans in East-
Central, Florida soon, the hardship of long drives and waiting periods 
will grow even greater for our veterans.
  As the Congresswoman from Florida's third district, I know firsthand 
of the need for a new VA facility in Orlando. I have been there for our 
veterans time and time again. I personally escorted former VA Secretary 
Jesse Brown to the old Naval facility in Orlando and told him what a 
perfect site it would be for a VA outpatient clinic. The James V. Haley 
VA Hospital in Orlando, Florida was later opened, and it is proving to 
be the best location available to provide even greater services to our 
veterans.
  The goal of the CARES commission is to modernize the VA health care 
system. This is an important first step in making certain that the 
needs of our veterans are met. They are indeed, the best of the best, 
and deserve to be treated as such.
  I abhor the treatment of America's veterans under this 
administration. From the shabby effort to provide for full funding of 
concurrent receipt, to the exclusion of new Priority Eight veterans 
from the VA health care rolls, this administration has proven that it 
is a miserable failure at treating our veterans with the honor and 
gratitude that they have earned.
  Anibal Acevedo-Vila, of Puerto Rico, and Shelley Berkley, of Nevada, 
join me in sponsoring this measure that additionally provides $250 
million for the construction of a VA hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, and 
$30 million for seismic upgrades at the VA medical center in San Juan, 
Puerto Rico.
  I would like to thank Senators Bob Graham of Florida, and Harry Reid 
of Nevada for introducing the companion legislation to this bill in the 
United States Senate.

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