Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin joined Representative Julia Brownley (D-CA) in introducing a bill last night to force the approval of a lease for a major expansion of the Portland VA health clinic, as well as leases for 23 other VA facilities around the country. Because of technicalities in the way the leases are approved, work on the expansion in Portland has been delayed.
Pingree at the opening of the Portland clinic in 2011.
Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin joined Representative Julia Brownley (D-CA) in introducing a bill last night to force the approval of a lease for a major expansion of the Portland VA health clinic, as well as leases for 23 other VA facilities around the country. Because of technicalities in the way the leases are approved, work on the expansion in Portland has been delayed.
"The plans are ready to go and construction is ready to start in Portland," Pingree said. "But the Congressional bureaucracy has gotten in the way and we need to step in and get these leases approved immediately. The sooner this project is completed the sooner veterans will have better access to the high quality health care they deserve."
“Any hurdle getting in the way of our veterans receiving the best and most timely care possible is unacceptable,” said Poliquin. “This important legislation will give our veterans seeking specialty care access to service at Maine Medical Center, one of our nation’s leading hospitals, instead of having to travel all the way to Boston. This will allow them to receive better care, closer to home. I’m proud to work across the aisle to put forward a sensible solution to help ensure our veterans in Maine and across our nation are not left without the support they were promised.”
