John Bel Edwards: “In my 16 years in Congress, I think one of the most important improvements made in VA care to veterans, particularly in…”

“In my 16 years in Congress, I think one of the most important improvements made in VA care to veterans, particularly in rural areas, is the creation and development and expansion of VA outpatient clinics, particularly for those veterans that live a long way from VA hospitals. I'll be happy to work with the gentleman as we go to conference, and to work with the Veterans Administration as well, to put the facts together to see if we can provide funding for a Statesboro clinic. And I know the gentleman will be a strong advocate on its behalf. For the record, I will say we have not, as a procedure in the past, earmarked specific funding for specific outpatient clinics. But the gentleman has spoken very strongly and eloquently about the need for his clinic, and we will work with him and the VA to see if we can provide the funding. And I will say that the bill that the gentleman has strongly supported provides, as we previously said, an enormous increase in VA medical services funding, far above, $1.7 billion above the President's request, $6 billion in total VA medical care funding over fiscal year 2007.”