Senators In Colorado To Scrutinize Over-Budget VA Hospital
AURORA, Colo. (AP) - Leaders of the U.S. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee are traveling to Colorado to ask why the VA hospital under construction in Aurora is more than $1 billion over budget.
The committee's Republican chairman and its top-ranking Democrat will tour the half-finished complex Friday and then hold a hearing.
Also attending will be Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner and Rep. Mike Coffman.
VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson is scheduled to testify.
The hospital is expected to cost $1.73 billion, up from $630 million estimated last year.
The VA has asked Congress for another $830 million to finish the complex. It wants to take the money from a $5 billion fund Congress approved to improve veterans' access to care.
Some lawmakers are promising to fight that plan.
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