U.S. Representative Mike Coffman (R-Aurora), a Marine Corps combat veteran, offered the following statement regarding the looming work stoppage on the Aurora VA hospital.
“The half-built Aurora VA hospital stands as a testament to the failure of Washington, DC politics – VA leadership ignored the problems for years and did nothing to stop the out-of-control construction costs for the replacement hospital. Through countless hearings, letters and phone calls I asked VA leadership to recognize that the hospital was in trouble and they refused to acknowledge that until they were forced to -- only after losing to the general contractor in court.
The VA has refused to come up with a funding plan for the completion of the hospital that does not delay or negatively impact other veterans around the country. They have actively opposed and tried to undermine my plan to use VA bonuses to fund the cost overruns. The VA would rather see the Aurora VA shut down than lose a penny of their own bonus money.
Many members of Congress, unfortunately, see this as a Colorado problem and it is not. The veterans that the replacement hospital will serve are the men and women who served our country in uniform and our nation has an obligation to them to provide them the health care benefits that they have earned through their military service.
I am greatly disappointed that the Speaker has not approved a short term increase in order to allow more time for negotiations and avoid a shutdown of the project. Right now Congressional leadership and the VA need to make sure this hospital is completed in order to honor our obligations to our nation’s veterans. I will continue to work with the other Members of our Congressional delegation to make sure this hospital gets built.”
