Washington, D.C. - The Veterans Administration’s Conroe and Tomball Community Based Outpatient Clinics passed a major hurdle today when full funding requested by the Veterans Administration for new local veterans clinics and other health projects across the country was approved by Congress.  The funding was a part of the President’s Veterans Administration 2005 budget, which was increased by $1.2 billion by the U.S. House of Representatives.

 

 The measure is now headed to the President’s desk for his signature. 

 

“We worked hard to increase the budget for America’s veterans to a record level, and still even more must be done to make sure every veteran in every community is taken care of,” said U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-The Woodlands).  The fourth-term congressman has long sought local veteran health care clinics to meet the expanding needs of veterans in the fast growing region north of Houston .  

 

“For everything our veterans have sacrificed, they deserve quality health care closer to their homes instead of having to take long trips to facilities hours away from where they live,” said Brady.

 

With a number of new clinics to be funded, Brady says the next step is to work with regional Veterans Administration officials to ensure the Conroe clinic stays on track for 2005 and Tomball for the year after.

 

Brady spoke with Dr. Robert Lynch, director of the South Central VA Heath Care Network in Jackson, Mississippi, on Thursday to identify a timeline and to offer assistance in keeping the new clinics on track.

 

“Dr. Lynch assured me that he wants our clinics built and that they remain a high priority for this region,” Brady said. “Since Congress is also expanding a number of veterans health care services, such as long-term care and mental health, and there are competitive bidding requirements for new

veterans clinics that have their own legal timetable, not all of the new clinics can be built at once. My office and I personally will be working with Houston and regional officials of the Veterans Administration to make sure these clinics happen, the sooner the better.”

 

Background:

The Veterans Administration announced plans to establish two new veterans’ clinics in Conroe and Tomball in the CARES (Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services) National Plan released by Veterans Administration Secretary Principi in May. 

 

The budget approved today will enable the VA to implement their CARES plan.  Congressman Brady will be working very closely with the VA over the next several months to make sure the Conroe clinic remains a top priority for the budget funds approved by Congress.  The CARES plan had originally projected the Conroe Clinic opening in 2005 and the Tomball Clinic in 2006. 

 

The Veterans Administration informed Brady that the Conroe clinic will be the largest Community Based Clinic in the Houston region.  Officials expect this clinic to provide primary care, pharmacy, laboratory, physical therapy, mental health, podiatry, and nutrition services.