Bob Filner: “The poor state of a lot of the infrastructure of the Veterans Affairs is well-known. Through what we call the CARES…”

“The poor state of a lot of the infrastructure of the Veterans Affairs is well-known. Through what we call the CARES process, the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services, the department found that the existing inpatient wards at the Atlanta VA Medical Center are far below community standards. This renovation project will go a long way to address the American with Disabilities Act accessibility requirements, the needs of women veterans, particularly as they relate to privacy issues, and the improvements in efficient functional design. These deficiency corrections are long overdue, and we think they will be met here. These infrastructure improvements to utility systems will include the plumbing, electrical, fire and safety concerns on the inpatient floors. With the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is even more important that the VA is able to provide the best health care available in the most updated and modern facilities. In fiscal year 2005, this project received $20.5 million, and S. 1396 provides the reauthorization of this project to move forward. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.”