Bob Barr: “I rise today with regard to the establishment of an outpatient clinic in the Seventh Congressional District of Georgia.…”

“I rise today with regard to the establishment of an outpatient clinic in the Seventh Congressional District of Georgia. There are more than 670,000 veterans in Georgia, and a significant number live in the Seventh Congressional District 55,000 veterans live in Cobb County alone. Some 4,000 of these veterans utilize the veterans health care system. The nearest clinic is on the east side of Atlanta, which means the veterans who reside in the western part of my congressional district must travel up to 70 miles each way, to get VA medical attention. This is an extremely long distance to travel for any type of medical care. It is even more of a hardship for the elderly, sick or those who cannot drive themselves. On September 9, 1999, the House of Representatives considered the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriation bill for Fiscal Year 2000, H.R. 2684. During that debate, Chairman Walsh and I had a colloquy, in which he pledged his support to assist me in establishing an outpatient clinic in the congressional district.”