Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Approves $2.75B for Construction of Hospitals, Clinics
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday approved by voice vote a bill (S 3421) that would authorize $2.75 billion in funding for VA medical facilities nationwide, CQ Today reports (Yoest, CQ Today, 6/22). The bill, which was unanimously approved, will fund major construction projects for 21 facilities, 18 of which are subject only to extensions of existing authorizations. Others were authorized without full funding requested in President Bush's fiscal year 2007 budget proposal. An amendment proposed by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to add six facilities to the list was defeated 8-6. Committee Chair Larry Craig (R-Idaho) said, "I do not want to have six new and fully authorized projects before finishing the projects that have been funded" (Basil, CongressDaily, 6/23).
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