September 27, 2006
Media contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093

(Washington, DC) A bipartisan bill (S. 3421) which authorizes more than $2 billion in funding for numerous major medical facilities for veterans in 22 states, and which will also enable the spouses of seriously wounded servicemembers to obtain educational benefits sooner, passed the Senate Tuesday night by unanimous consent.

"Veterans across America should know that while Republicans and Democrats have our differences, when it comes to veterans, we are working together to make health care and education benefits more accessible," said Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), the bill's sponsor who also serves as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "This legislation will ensure that the federal government makes continued progress on commitments already made and moves forward on projects which need to be completed."

Sen. Craig and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), who serves as the Ranking Member of the Committee, joined forces before the bill was passed and added an amendment which ? if approved by the U.S. House of Representatives ? will allow spouses of severely injured servicemembers to obtain educational benefits while the injured service member recuperates.

The amendment was prompted by a meeting Chairman Craig had with U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Jeff Mittman, a young man who was blinded after an attack in Iraq and is being treated at Walter Reed. Mittman has undergone 20 surgeries already and faces two more years of recovery while he remains on active duty.

"Our change will allow him to get the treatment he needs while his wife gets the education their family will need. This change will be a win-win for all. It's simply the right thing to do," Craig said.

Under current law, when a servicemember is discharged from the military as a "permanently and totally disabled" veteran, the veteran's spouse is eligible for education benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, through a program called Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance.

"The change, if agreed to by the House of Representatives, will speed up that process and benefit military families at no additional cost to taxpayers," Craig said.

The construction portion of the Senate-passed legislation authorizes no more than:

• $636 million for new construction of VA medical center in New Orleans, Louisiana
• $406 million for new construction of a VA medical center in Las Vegas, Nevada
• $377 million for new construction of a VA medical center in Orlando, Florida
• $310 million for the restoration of the VA medical center in Biloxi, Mississippi
• $189.205 million for consolidation of VA facilities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• $107.845 million for seismic corrections at the VA medical center in Long Beach, California
• $102.3 million for the consolidation of VA functions in Cleveland and Brecksville, Ohio
• $98 million for the replacement of the VA medical center in Denver, Colorado
• $85.2 million for renovation of VA facilities in Gainesville, Florida
• $79.9 million for seismic corrections at the VA medical center in Los Angeles, California
• $75.27 million for the construction of the VA outpatient clinic in Anchorage, Alaska
• $69.053 for medical facility improvements and cemetery expansion VA medical center in St. Louis, Missouri
• $65.1 million for an ambulatory surgery and diagnostic center in Lee County, Florida
• $56.163 million to construct new addition at the VA medical center in Fayetteville, Arkansas
• $56 million for renovation and new construction at VA medical center in Temple, Texas
• $53.9 million for construction of a spinal cord injury center at the VA medical center in Syracuse, New York
• $49 million for upgrades at the VA medical center in Tampa, Florida
• $38.2 million for seismic corrections at VA medical center in American Lake, Washington
• $32.5 for spinal cord injury center at VA medical center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• $27.4 million for modernization at the VA medical center in Indianapolis, Indiana
• $25.83 million to replace operating suite at VA medical center in Columbia, Missouri
• $25 million for the construction of a VA extended care building in Des Moines, Iowa
• $19.1 million for upgrades and expansion of the VA medical center in San Antonio, Texas
• $15 million for seismic corrections at the VA medical center, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• $10.908 million for a lease on an outpatient clinic in Baltimore, Maryland
• $9.1 million for renovation of VA patient wards in Durham, North Carolina
• $8.989 million for a leas on an outpatient clinic in Evansville, Illinois
• $8.518 million for four outpatient clinics in Las Vegas, Nevada
• $7.1 million for expansion of the spinal cord injury center the VA medical center in Tampa, Florida
• $6.163 million for a lease on an outpatient and specialty care clinic in Austin, Texas
• $5.093 million for a lease on an outpatient clinic in Smith County, Texas
• $5.032 million for a lease on an outpatient clinic in Parma, Ohio
• $4.409 million for a lease on an outpatient clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan
• $2.52 million for a lease on an outpatient clinic in Lowell, Massachusetts

A committee of Senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives must now hammer out a compromise bill ? which itself must pass both Houses of Congress.

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