[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 18, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S5031]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



        Opening of the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center

  Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, this weekend, Colorado will be 
celebrating the opening of our new Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical 
Center in Aurora. I am incredibly proud that we will be reaching this 
milestone this weekend after more than a decade of work and some 
significant hurdles, trials, and tribulations along the way. I commend 
my colleagues for the work they did funding this project.
  The Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center will be the crown jewel 
of the VA system. It wasn't easy to get here. A lot of people had to do 
a lot of work to make it happen, including the veterans, the leadership 
organizations in Colorado, our colleagues across the aisle, Congressman 
Coffman, Congressman Perlmutter, Senator Bennet--in fact, the entire 
congressional delegation for a number of years--Senator Salazar, 
Senator Udall, Senator Allard. They have all done incredible work to 
make this weekend a possibility.
  Hundreds of millions of tax dollars were used for this facility. It 
did run over budget. It certainly ran over time. But we have learned a 
lot as a result of this facility, and the Army Corps of Engineers will 
now be taking over major construction projects like this. As a result 
of this facility, we have made changes on how designs are being made. 
It was a learning experience and unfortunately a costly one at that, 
but it doesn't change the fact that this will be a crown jewel in the 
VA system.
  This is not the end of a project, it is the beginning of a promise to 
be fulfilled--a promise to our veterans on the care they will receive, 
a place where they will find healing, where they will find support, and 
where they will find a return to good health.
  To our men and women in uniform who currently serve, know that you 
have a place in Colorado where you will find incredible care.
  To those who have served our country, who live in Colorado, know that 
with great pride, we open this facility this weekend.
  But we have more work to do. We have work to do to make sure that it 
is easier to hire doctors and fill the positions at the hospital that 
have remained open for months around the VA system. It takes too long 
to onboard medical professionals. We should cut down that time, figure 
out how to cut through the redtape and the bureaucracy. If you are 
qualified to practice medicine at Swedish Hospital in Denver, or any of 
our other great facilities, why can't you just go to work at the VA 
hospital as well? So these are things that we can do to do a better 
job.

  On Monday, I met with the Secretary nominee, Robert Wilkie, President 
Trump's nominee to be the new VA Secretary, and I talked to him about 
the work we have to continue to do to make sure that veterans receive 
the best care possible. This Congress has passed legislation, such as 
the Choice Act. We have made great reforms over the last several months 
to reduce wait times and wait lists and to eliminate them and make sure 
that we can provide that promise of care.
  This weekend in Colorado there will be a great celebration as we open 
this facility. So many people put in tireless years upon years of work, 
from the leadership of the State to the leadership of Congress. I am 
grateful that this weekend we celebrate as we open a facility that 
begins to fulfill the promise made a decade ago for veterans in the 
region.
  I yield the floor.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 
morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sullivan). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.