Stockton’s member of Congress released the following statement today:
Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Stockton, wrote to Secretary Eric Shinseki of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, calling on the VA to guarantee and expedite funding for the construction of a new veterans medical facility and nursing home in San Joaquin County. McNerney was instrumental in securing the authorization of the facility and its location, bringing 900 jobs to the region. “For far too long, the veterans who have fought to defend our country have had to travel hundreds of miles to receive the services and benefits they have earned and deserve. The VA must prioritize the construction of this new facility in order to honor our commitment to the men and women who have sacrificed so much to protect our way of life,” McNerney said. The letter calls on Shinseki to include funding for the San Joaquin facility in the VA’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget. “At a time when good, family-wage jobs are so desperately needed in our region, expediting the construction of this facility will make a big difference for our local economy. It will serve our local veterans who deserve the best treatment possible and create 900 jobs. Both are priorities for our community that I take very personally,” McNerney said. Additionally, McNerney urged Shinseki to explore options to keep the Livermore VA Medical Center as a provider of veterans services. Once the San Joaquin County and Alameda County facilities are operational, the VA will reevaluate what the best option is for the Livermore facility. “I have fought to keep the Livermore Medical Center in the hands of veterans for the past six years. At the end of the day, we have a duty to provide our service men and women with the best possible access to their benefits, and I strongly urge the VA to explore options to maintain the Livermore facility in a way that benefits our veterans,” McNerney said. See McNerney’s letter to Shinseki here.
