Washington, DC: Today Congressmen Bob Goodlatte (VA-06) and Virgil Goode (VA-05) announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will be opening a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) to be located at 1600 Lakeside Drive in Lynchburg.  The clinic is expected to open in mid-2008.

The Lynchburg CBOC will provide primary health care to area veterans who currently have to travel as far away as the VA Medical Centers located in either Salem or Richmond.  Lynchburg is one of the largest cities in the United States not to have a CBOC or a VA Medical Center in an adjoining city.

 Congressmen Goodlatte and Goode were successful in including language specifically recommending the VA establish a CBOC in Lynchburg in the Fiscal Year 2003 Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. 

“I am extremely pleased by the VA’s decision to open a CBOC in Lynchburg and the selection of the location is a critical first step in making this a reality,” said Congressman Goodlatte.  “For too long our Central Virginia veterans have been forced to travel long distances to other facilities to receive treatment and medication.  Congressman Goode and I have both been working to ensure that these veterans receive the health care they rightly deserve.”

 “I am pleased that progress is being made on a CBOC for Lynchburg area veterans,” said Congressman Goode.  “We have been working on this for several years, and we look forward to the VA establishing the CBOC as soon as possible.”

The VA currently operates 28 outpatient clinics throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.