Alexander, Corker, Davis Announce New VA Clinic To Be Opened In Roane County March 20, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker along with U.S. Representative Lincoln Davis today received notification from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of plans to open a new outpatient clinic in Roane County in 2008.

"As a nation, we are forever indebted to the men and women who sacrificed so much to serve in the Armed Forces when called upon," Senator Alexander said. "Every single one of our wounded soldiers and our veterans should get the best possible medical care after they come home, and these new clinics are a step in the right direction. I will continue to work with the VA and the Tennessee delegation to make sure our veterans are getting the proper care that they deserve."

"Our veterans have given so much to our country and they deserve to have top quality, accessible health care," Senator Corker said. "The announcement to open these new clinics comes at a critical time for a population that is experiencing growth in the number of new and aging veterans seeking care through the VA system. I applaud the leadership of the VA for reaching and treating veterans in their own communities and expanding options for care, particularly in Tennessee."

"The arrival of this clinic has been a long time coming," remarked Congressman Davis, who has made this a top priority since before he began serving in Congress. "One of the greatest honors I have is providing our veterans with the medical care they've earned and deserve. This clinic will aid many veterans in Roane and surrounding counties at a time when we've seen sharp increases in gas and other transportation costs. None of this would have happened without the combined efforts of our congressional delegation and local leaders."

Upon hearing the news of the clinic from Congressman Davis's office, County Mayor Mike Farmer, stated enthusiastically, "I am very excited for all the veterans in Roane and surrounding counties that will have the accessibility of medical services they so richly deserve. Having been involved in this process for sometime I must thank our Senators and Congressman for stepping up and increasing veterans funding after many years of not being properly financed."

According to a news release from the Department Veterans Affairs, the new clinics are scheduled to activate in 2008. The exact locations of the new facilities, along with their opening dates and the health care services they will provide, have to be determined.