VA offers a new Denver hospital plan - Here we go again?

Friday's proposal would take $150 million of the estimated $775 million needed to complete the project from unspent accounts for this fiscal year, including $56 million from various "green energy" projects at eight other VA sites.

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2015/06/05/denver-va-hospital-june/28544007/

Veterans Affairs leaders, again facing a possible work stoppage on their embattled Denver medical center construction project, offered a new funding proposal to Congress on Friday in hopes of finding a way to finish the project.

The ongoing construction saga has become another point of political gridlock in Washington, with department officials and Hill Republicans unable to reach a compromise on how to proceed with the overdue and overpriced project.

Meanwhile, Colorado lawmakers and veterans groups have watched the months-long fight with a growing sense of fear it could doom the project, leaving thousands of Denver-area veterans without access to needed health care services.

Without a deal before the end of June, work will be halted on the new hospital campus by contractors who already walked off the project late last year.

Friday's proposal would take $150 million of the estimated $775 million needed to complete the project from unspent accounts for this fiscal year, including $56 million from various "green energy" projects at eight other VA sites.

VA officials offered to account for the rest of the money needed by deferring work on 109 other construction and maintenance projects in fiscal 2016 or by trimming $625 million evenly off all other department discretionary accounts.

They warned both plans include "negative consequences for veterans or VA's ability to carry out its mission," but said a top-level review of existing funding found no surpluses that could cover the cost.

Last month, lawmakers rejected plans to use part of the $5 billion fund approved by Congress last summer to expand veterans' access to medical care through new leases and construction, arguing the Denver mess would simply drain away needed money for other projects.

Republican leaders also charged that VA officials have learned little from the construction project mess — which tripled in cost in recent years — and have not fired any of the individuals whose mismanagement contributed to the problem.

VA officials have promised reforms throughout the department, and closer relationships with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on future construction projects to avoid the cost overruns in other efforts.

But those promises failed to convince lawmakers to give VA more than a monthlong funding extension just before their May recess, leading to the looming June shutdown threat.

In the days since, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has continually criticized the department for deep-seated spending and accountability problems. VA Secretary Bob McDonald has downplayed the fight, saying the two sides are still communicating and working to help veterans.

Outside advocates have criticized the department's past mistakes but also urged Congress to find some path ahead on the work, saying continued political fighting will only hurt veterans.