[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 30, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1602-E1603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM FEENEY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 29, 2008

  Mr. FEENEY. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership 
standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for 
publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received 
as part of H.R. 6599, the FY 09 Military Construction and Veterans 
Affairs Appropriations bill:
  I sent the attached letter to the Appropriations committee members on 
February 4, 2008 asking for complete funding for the veterans hospital 
being built in Orlando, FL.
  The funds for the new medical facility in Orlando, FL come from the 
Major Construction account under Veterans Affairs. The United States 
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20420, will be receiving the funds. The $220,000,000 will be used 
toward construction, site preparation, installation of utilities, 
roads, and an energy plant.
                                    Congress of the United States,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                 Washington, DC, February 4, 2008.
     Hon. Roger Wicker,
     Rayburn House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Ranking Member Wicker: I am writing to request that 
     Congress include full funding for the completion of the VA 
     hospital to be located in Orlando, Florida. The

[[Page E1603]]

     President's budget released today allocates $120 million for 
     the hospital. In order to insure the swift completion of the 
     Lake Nona hospital it is imperative that the VA receive full 
     funding in this budget year.
       Today, there are more than 26.5 million veterans living in 
     the United States and Puerto Rico with more than 1.8 million 
     of them residing in the State of Florida. That is the second 
     highest total in America, second only to California. More 
     than one-third of these live in the Central Florida area 
     alone.
       According to the VA, Central Florida is the number one 
     destination for combat veterans 65 years of age or older. It 
     is also the number one area for veterans who have 50 percent 
     or more service connected disability and 18 percent of our 
     veterans have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
       The Department of Veterans Affairs has estimated the cost 
     to complete this hospital at $597 million. This hospital is a 
     top priority for the VA and is badly needed in central 
     Florida. It is vital that the remaining $537 million, to 
     finish construction, is included in the Fiscal Year 2009 
     Military Construction appropriations bill.
       I hope you will consider the inclusion of these funds as 
     you work through the many important requests during the FY09 
     appropriations process.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Tom Feeney,
     Member of Congress.

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