[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 195 (Wednesday, December 19, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2645]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AT ATLANTA VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER

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                            HON. JOHN LEWIS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2007

  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, today, almost last, but 
certainly not least, Congress takes action on a bill to authorize a 
major medical facility project that will create modern inpatient wards 
at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Atlanta, 
Georgia. This is an investment of $20.5 million to provide a standard 
of care our Nation guarantees for veterans across America. This is a 
relatively small bill but it is part of keeping a very big promise. We 
should always keep that promise.
  This project will renovate 3 inpatient floors to meet ADA 
accessibility requirements. Our handicapped veterans should have 
bathrooms, showers and toilet facilities they can actually use. This 
project will also meet needs of a growing group of women veterans. It 
will provide patient privacy where it has been inadequate. And it will 
make the staff work more efficiently by simply making the layout of the 
building better for work. In addition, an enclosed connecting bridge 
will be built between the Medical Center and VA Regional Office 
buildings so there will be more fluid access between what goes on at 
the hospital and what goes on at the benefits administration.
  The Atlanta VA Medical Center has an active affiliation with the 
University of Emory Medical School. This project will keep this 
relationship on sound footing. Hundreds of medical doctors and students 
with Emory make contributions at the hospital and see firsthand the 
result of sacrifices made from generation to generation. Unfortunately, 
with the number of our boys and girls coming home from war growing as 
we speak, these physicians are going to be caring for so many more 
people with so many more health problems.
  I want to applaud the efforts of my colleague from Georgia, Senator 
Johnny Isakson, for working to pass this bill through the Senate. I 
know on this issue, the issue of caring for our veterans, all of us 
from Georgia and on a bipartisan basis in the House and Senate can 
agree that no expense should be spared in order to ensure the best care 
modem medicine can provide.
  We have more work to do on this and so many other issues. It is my 
hope we can come together on more bills in the coming year, much larger 
bills, which benefit those who wear the uniform, as well as kids and 
seniors who need better health care.

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