VA Secretary to Pappas: Feasibility Study Underway, Administration’s Goal is to Bring Full-Service VA Hospital to NH

Today Congressman Chris Pappas, member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, questioned the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins on his commitment to engaging with New Hampshire stakeholders as VA implements a recent Executive Order requiring a feasibility study and an action plan to expand services at the Manchester VA Medical Center (Manchester VAMC) and support the establishment of a full-service VA hospital in New Hampshire.Watch his remarks here. 

In his opening statement, Congressman Pappas said, “New Hampshire remains the only state in the contiguous 48 states without a full-service VA hospital. The Manchester VAMC was built in the 1950s. It continues to experience serious infrastructure issues–pipes bursting in the winter, flooding, heating outages, and even insects in the operating surgical suite. On May 9, the Trump Administration announced an Executive Order directing a feasibility study at the VA - within 180 days of the order, submitting an action plan to the President to expand services at the Manchester VA into a full-service medical center. So, veterans have been asking for this for about 20 years now. They’re ready to move past the talking stage and see some action on this.” 

Pappas asked for Secretary Collins' commitment that VA engages with New Hampshire veterans and stakeholders as the Department conducts the study and develops its action plan for New Hampshire. 

Secretary Collins replied, “Yes, Congressman. I appreciate that and I appreciate you carrying the torch for that… I can report to you that that feasibility study started this week. And we are going to be working with our stakeholders in New Hampshire and other places to make sure this goes through.”

Pappas pressed Secretary Collins’ on his commitment to following through on the Executive Order and establishing a full-service hospital in New Hampshire.

Secretary Collins replied, “I believe that is the desire of the administration as we go forward and we’re looking at it from that place. You have a system in which we are going to look at and make sure we get the proper needs and proper care in that area.”

Background: 

New Hampshire is the only state in the contiguous 48 states to not have a dedicated, full-service VA hospital. An Executive Order issued by President Trump on May 9th instructed VA to begin a feasibility study on expanding services to support a full-service medical center in New Hampshire within 30 days and submit an action plan to the President within 180 days. 

Earlier today, Pappas led the New Hampshire delegation in a letter calling on VA Secretary Doug Collins to seriously and fully follow through on the feasibility study and action plan, with the goal of establishing a full-service VA hospital in New Hampshire.