[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 143 (Friday, September 23, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF THE GRAND OPENING OF THE BLIND REHABILITATION UNIT AT 
              THE CLEVELAND VETERAN AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER

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                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 23, 2011

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the grand 
opening of the new Blind Rehabilitation Center at the Louis Stokes 
Cleveland Veteran Affairs Medical Center, VAMC, on September 26, 2011.
  The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center is dedicated to the 
quality care of all veterans. It is the fifth largest VA in the country 
and serves close to 95,000 veterans annually. The Louis Stokes 
Cleveland VA Medical Center was the first VA to receive disease 
specific accreditation for Inpatient Diabetes Care in 2007 and has also 
received a special commendation by the American College of Surgeons as 
a Certified Comprehensive Cancer Program.
  According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are 
approximately 157,000 Veterans who are legally blind and more than one 
million more suffer from low vision. On September 26, 2011, the 
Cleveland VAMC will celebrate the grand opening of their new Blind 
Rehabilitation Center, BRC. The 28,000 square-foot, 15-inpatient-bed 
BRC will care for blind and low-vision Veterans from Ohio, 
Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia and Kentucky. In addition to 
working with Veterans to regain their independence and quality of life, 
the BRC will offer support to the Veterans' families, helping them 
better understand visual impairment and providing support that will 
reduce caregiver burden.
  Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the grand 
opening of the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veteran Affairs Medical Center's 
new Blind Rehabilitation Center.

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