VA panel authorizes construction, approves new bioterror research centers

The House Veterans' Affairs Committee approved a bill Thursday authorizing the Department of Veterans Affairs to launch 10 medical facility construction projects at a cost of $285 million.

The committee approved the measure (H.R. 4514) by voice vote.

The bill also authorized $2.6 million to lease a veterans' satellite outpatient clinic in Charlotte, N.C.

All the construction projects involved improvements in existing facilities. The projects included two in Palo Alto, Calif., one each in San Francisco, Calif.; West Los Angeles, Calif.; Long Beach, Calif.; San Diego, Calif.; Cleveland, Ohio; Anchorage, Alaska; West Haven, Conn.; and Tampa, Fla.

The committee also reported a bill (H.R. 3253) giving VA a role in combatting bio-terrorism. The measure was approved by voice vote.

Under that bill, the VA would set up at least four new "National Emergency Preparedness Centers" at VA medical centers. They would do research on radiological, chemical and biological threats and on ways to develop "health responses" to such threats.

The centers would also train VA and community health workers on how to deal with threats and how to provide "rapid response laboratory assistance to local healthcare authorities" in national emergencies.

The bill would authorize $100 million over five years for the new centers and add one more assistant secretary position in the VA.

Before the final vote, the committee by voice vote endorsed changes in the original bill made by its Health Subcommittee.