(Washington, DC) -  "I am more than pleased to see that the patient-privacy protections at the Gainesville VA Medical Center are under way.   When I visited the VAMC, I was appalled at the living conditions of our veterans being treated at the facility.  It was just appalling to me to see our nation's brave veterans living five to a room and sharing shower facilities at the end of a hallway.  When I saw this, I pleaded with the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee to figure out a way to get money to the facility immediately!  And sure enough, after pressuring the subcommittee leadership, I was able to obtain an additional $51.5 million in funding for the medical center's towers.  Chairman Chet Edwards, of the Subcommittee on Military Construction Appropriations, said that "without Corrine, this project would not have been funded." The Congresswoman added that "indisputably, the flagship Medical Center of the North Florida VA must provide adequate care to our veterans!"

The additional funding for the medical center will complete a project for construction of the towers, beginning in September. The project will consist of four floors, plus a basement level, with connection corridors to the existing medical center. The addition will house 228 inpatient beds, consisting of 120 medical beds, 60 surgical beds, 58 psychiatric beds and support space, and allow for greater privacy for area vets.

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