VFW Past Department Commander David Harris was on hand to hear witnesses from the VA Office of Construction and Facilities Management, and hospital contractor Brasfield and Gorrie, testify on persistent delays in the project.
Harris described the hearing as a “circular firing squad” between the project’s architects, construction management, and the VA project manager, who all blamed each other for the project delays.
Construction on the new facility started in October 2008 and was scheduled for delivery this October; however, numerous change orders to the contract, design issues, and other delays have pushed the opening to late 2013 at the earliest, and possibly into 2014.
“My single interest is the expeditious completion of this facility for the veterans of Central Florida who have been waiting over a decade for this medical center,” said Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla. “It is clear from today’s hearing both VA and the contractor still have quite a long way to go to come together and figure out how to work together, which is what needs to happen. But I am cautiously hopeful that will become the goal moving forward, as it should have been all along.”
Despite the finger-pointing, both VA and Brasfield and Gorrie officials promised to continue working toward consensus on how to move the project toward completion of the new medical hub for central Florida’s veterans.
Local VFW officials will continue to monitor progress on the new VA medical center, holding public officials accountable for its completion.
To view an archived webcast of the hearing and to read the prepared statements of each witness, click here.
Members of both the House and Senate are in their home districts throughout the month of August, tending to constituent affairs. VFW advocates are once again taking this opportunity to meet directly with their elected leaders on veterans’ issues, and we are looking to share those stories on this blog.
To submit your Field Reports for consideration on the VFW’s Capitol Hill blog, simply fill out our online form here, or send photos and stories directly to vfwac@vfw.org. Information for this story was provided by VFW National Legislative Committee member Lee Kichen.
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