Construction at Denver VA hospital to resume

On Sept. 25, the Senate passed S. 2082, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Expiring Authorities Act of 2015, which extends specified VA programs. The measure was approved by the House on Sept. 30 by 423-0 recorded vote. It now goes to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature.

The VA can now shift the $625 million it needs to finish the Denver VA hospital from other accounts within its budget. But the deal strips VA of authority to manage big construction projects in the future and gives it to the Army Corps of Engineers, a change that lawmakers demanded in order to avoid continued mismanagement by VA.

The half-finished hospital in the Denver suburb of Aurora is expected to cost nearly $1.7 billion, almost triple last year’s estimate. The Corps of Engineers blamed the overruns on multiple design changes and a decision by VA officials to use a complicated contract process that they didn’t fully understand.

Several lawmakers expressed concerns as VA has not fully presented the plan for where the $625 million will be shifted from to fund the project. Some projections include VA shifting money from medical accounts and construction in other districts, drawing consternation from lawmakers who feel their districts are being negatively impacted by VA’s failures on this project.

A few other VA programs that the bill extends authority for through fiscal year 2016 include:

  • Appropriations for assistance and support services for caregivers.
  • Grants to veterans service organizations for transportation of highly rural veterans.
  • Pilot program on counseling in retreat settings for women veterans newly separated from service, the homeless veterans reintegration programs, and the homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children reintegration program.
  • Housing assistance for homeless veterans, financial assistance for supportive services for low-income veteran families in permanent housing, and the grant program for homeless veterans with special needs.
  • Treatment and rehabilitation services for seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans, including a program to provide homeless veterans with benefits and services at certain locations.
  • Referral and counseling services for certain veterans at risk of homelessness.
  • Monthly assistance allowances under the Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events.
  • Appropriations for adaptive sports programs for disabled veterans and members of the armed forces.
  • Temporary eligibility expansion for specially adapted housing assistance for certain veterans with disabilities.