A bipartisan group of 12 senators is rejecting the Department of Veterans Affairs' plan to close or overhaul hospitals that no longer meet the healthcare needs of U.S. veterans, according to a June 29 report by The Washington Post.
The senators, led by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., said they would not approve the nine nominees up for confirmation to establish the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission.
"We share a commitment to expanding and strengthening modern VA infrastructure in a way that upholds our obligations to America’s veterans," the senators said in a June 27 news release. "We believe the recommendations put forth to the AIR Commission are not reflective of that goal, and would put veterans in both rural and urban areas at a disadvantage."
The release said lawmakers were committed to a "continued push" to help the VA invest in "21st century facilities" for veterans.