Washington, DC – Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, released the following statement on President Obama signing the VA Caregiver bill into law, which Bennet co-sponsored. This law authorizes the remaining funding to build the new $800 million VA Medical Center at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.
“Veterans in Colorado and across the Rocky Mountain West have been waiting a long time for a stand-alone, state-of-the-art Veterans Hospital to call their own, and this bill will help move us one step closer to that goal,” said Bennet. “Our veterans risked their lives to defend our country and keep us safe, and we need to do everything we can to provide them with the best care when they come home. The new medical center will provide top-notch care for thousands of veterans in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West and will create good-paying jobs for Coloradans.”
The new law also creates a certification program for family members to become caregivers for wounded warriors. Family members who complete the program will be eligible for monthly stipends, group and individual counseling and health care coverage.
Once authorized, funds must pass through the Veterans Affairs appropriations process in Congress and be signed into law.