Bulletin Board

Perlmutter Issues Statement on Prospective Nomination of retired Army Gen. Shinseki as Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs

December 4, 2008

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Ed Perlmutter, whose 7th Congressional district is home to the new VA Medical Center, released the following statement on the prospective nomination of retired Army Gen. Eric K. Shinseki to be Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs:

"I applaud President-elect Obama’s choice of Gen. Shinseki to be nominated for Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs.  One of my highest priorities is to ensure the construction of a stand-alone, VA Medical Center on the Fitzsimons campus in Aurora, and I urge Gen. Shinseki to place this project at the top of his list during his tenure at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. ”

 “By my count, eight years have passed, three Secretaries of the VA have come and gone, and tens of millions of dollars have been spent.  Gen. Shinseki will be the fourth VA Secretary to oversee this project.  It is time to end the back-and-forth, ping-pong-like discussions about this project and turn dirt on a facility so we can deliver the best possible care to our veterans.” 

"I look forward to working with Gen. Shinseki, and I extend an invitation for him to join me on a tour of the new site of the Veterans Medical center on the Fitzsimons campus in Aurora.  Our veterans deserve a stand-alone facility that meets the guidelines previously called for by the CARES Commission and one that will be completed in a timely manner."

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