Carper, Coons, Blunt Rochester applaud congressional approval of new VA facility in Sussex County

WILMINGTON, Del. - U.S. Senator Tom Carper, chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, U.S. Senator Chris Coons and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) applauded the announcement by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that it will move forward with the official competitive procurement process to lease a new medical facility in Sussex County. The Sussex County procurement process was part an announcement detailing more than $630 million in lease or construction options across nine other locations, including four in Texas, two in Florida, and one each in South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. This announcement follows the Environment and Public Works Committee resolution on Nov. 20, approving the leasing process. Recently, Blunt Rochester sent a bipartisan letter urging the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure to approve the resolution granting the medical lease for the new facility.

The VA can now begin the procurement process for new facilities across the United States thanks to the passage of President Biden's Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act in 2022. While final details will be confirmed when the procurement process is complete, the current project proposal seeks to build out or lease an approximate 136,000 net usable square feet (NUSF), which would also include hundreds of parking spaces. Sussex County currently has 11,155 NUSF available for veterans' services. The move would expand services provided at the Sussex County Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) and help downstate veterans get care closer to home, so they don't have to travel to the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Elsmere.

The new space in Sussex County would also seek to improve veterans' overall experience by increasing operational efficiency, primary care space, and continued access to additional mental health, specialty care, inpatient medicine, and ancillary services. New facilities planned for southern New Jersey and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania will also provide more options across the region for veterans.

"One of the best ways we can honor our servicemembers is to make sure they are able to use the benefits they earned and deserve when they return home," said Senator Carper, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Navy. "I was proud to work alongside my colleagues to pass this historic expansion of health care services for veterans and bring those services closer to veterans throughout our region. This is an important step in our mission to better serve veterans."

"The Biden administration has spearheaded the largest investment in veterans' health care in my lifetime, and with the advocacy of the last Vietnam veteran serving in the Senate - Senator Carper - Delaware's veterans can look forward to the levels of support they deserve," said Senator Coons. "This new facility in Sussex County will build upon the VA's accomplishments of delivering a record amount of access, benefits, and appointments to our deserving service members upon their return home."

"Ensuring that veterans have access to quality health care remains a top priority of mine. It's why I've worked across the aisle in Congress to help secure the licensing approval of this new VA facility in Sussex County," said Rep. Blunt Rochester. "Under President Biden's leadership, we've expanded VA benefits to more veterans than ever before, keeping our sacred obligation to care for those who've served our state and nation. Today's announcement is a continuation of that commitment, ensuring that veterans in Sussex County can receive the care and respect they deserve."

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