Golden Helps Secure Amendment to Defund Commission that Could Close Rural VA Facilities in Maine
WASHINGTON — Following remarks on the House floor today by Congressmen Jared Golden (ME-02), the House voted to adopt an amendment cosponsored by the congressman that would help prevent the closure of a number of rural VA facilities, including those in Maine, by defunding the Asset and Infrastructure (AIR) Commission. The AIR Commission was created by Congress in 2018 and is charged with reviewing and processing VA recommendations.
The funding previously designated for the AIR Commission would be reallocated to the VA’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program, rendering the Commission unable to function for the upcoming fiscal year.
“Maine’s Second District is the largest district East of the Mississippi, the second most rural district in the country, and the home to more than 53,000 veterans,” said Congressman Golden. “The VA facilities many of these veterans rely on — the clinics in Houlton, Fort Kent, and Rumford — are at risk of being shut down if we don’t permanently end the Asset and Infrastructure, or AIR Commission. Our VA hospital at Togus would be downsized, with the remaining services moved to Portland, a long distance from most of the rural communities that I represent. I am proud to help introduce this amendment to defund the commission and transfer the money to the VA’s Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Program, a far better use of the money. It’s an important step towards ending the AIR Commission once and for all, before it can begin trying to implement these closures.”
The VA recommendations to the AIR Commission included:
- Closure of the Houlton Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)
- Closure of the Fort Kent CBOC
- Closure of the Rumford CBOC
- Relocating Community and Residential Care from Togus VA to Portland
- Ending emergency department services at Togus VA
- Consolidating the services offered at the closed facilities into facilities that would remain open, like those at Togus, or into facilities that have yet to be built.
The MISSION Act of 2018 mandated the formation of the AIR Commission and required the Secretary of the VA to submit to this Commission recommendations for the modernization and realignment of VA medical facilities. To staff the Commission, the President nominated eight individuals in March 2022, with the ninth nominee still forthcoming. The eight nominees that have been nominated thus far have no experience providing healthcare for rural veterans.
This amendment is the latest action Golden has taken to prevent the closure of veterans health care facilities in Maine. Earlier this month, Golden and Congressman David McKinley (WV-01) introduced a bipartisan bill designed to prevent the closures by eliminating the AIR Commission entirely. Language similar to Golden’s provision was also included in the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House last week. In February, Golden joined the Maine Delegation in a letter to the Maine Veterans’ Homes (MVH) board opposing recently announced plans to close MVH homes in Machias and Caribou. The plans to immediately shutter the homes were ultimately reversed.
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