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Date: 5/24/2022
NORTHAMPTON – During a phone call with Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough, Massachusetts Congressman Jim McGovern officially expressed his concerns about the possible closure of the Edward P. Boland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Leeds.
In the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Asset and Infrastructure Review report released on March 14, McDonough made recommendations on the structure of the VA’s resources nationwide, including retiring the Leeds facility. The report argues that the current facility is in “sub-optimal condition” and “does not meet current design standards.”
If the Leeds location were to close, approximately 21,000 veterans who receive nursing home care and rehabilitation programs at the facility would have to find assistance elsewhere in West Haven, CT, eastern Massachusetts or Albany, NY.
Many state lawmakers and representatives – along with Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey – wrote a letter back in April delineating reasons why closing the VA center was a poor decision.
“Of particular concern is that many veterans would now need to travel at least two hours round trip to receive care at VA medical centers in West Haven, Connecticut; Eastern Massachusetts; or Albany, New York,” wrote the members in their letter to McDonough. “Due to health status, advanced age, or lack of public transportation, far too many of the approximately 21,000 veterans who currently receive care at CWM VAMC [Central Western Massachusetts Veterans Administration Medical Center] would be unduly burdened.”
Despite initial claims from the Department of Veterans Affairs that the Northampton VA hospital in Leeds would require $121 million in renovations for building and design deficiencies, members of the federal delegation – including McGovern – argued that this figure was outdated, as over $200 million was already utilized in completed or ongoing renovations and modernization projects at the facility.
In the May 6 phone call with McDonough, McGovern made this same point, and argued that the announcement of this potential closure caused “anxiety and stress” among local veterans. Many of these veterans spoke of their PTSD and the importance of the Leeds facility during a harrowing public forum at the VFW Post 8006 in Northampton back in late April.
“Secretary McDonough said he recognizes the serious issues with the incomplete data used to make the recommendation, and assured Chairman McGovern that steps are being taken to ensure that the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission will have up-to-date and accurate information before making its final recommendation to the president,” read the call readout. “He acknowledged and discussed with Chairman McGovern the recent investments in the facility and reiterated that he does not want to privatize the VA and takes the concerns he has heard from veterans about this issue very seriously.”
McGovern, who is also chair of the House Rules Committee, expressed his appreciation for President Joe Biden’s recent request for the largest VA budget in the United States’ history. According to Biden’s office, around $139 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs is being requested in the fiscal year 2023 budget. According to McGovern, the budget prioritizes improving access to specialized care at VA facilities.
The phone call with McDonough was “productive,” according to McGovern. The congressman said he will make sure that the original recommendations do not move forward and added that he will provide more updates for constituents to make sure their voices are being heard.