LAKE NONA BOULEVARD SITE SELECTED

Washington, Mar 2, 2007 - "I am pleased that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has selected the Lake Nona Boulevard site for the new hospital in Orlando," said Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala). "With the site selected, the VA's next steps are purchasing the site and developing the facility. The new hospital is set to open in 2012, meeting the needs of Florida's growing veterans population."

Stearns, a veteran and the vice ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, has long championed the new VA hospital in Orlando. "The number of veterans in east central Florida continues to grow, and this new hospital will help meet the needs of 90,000 enrolled veterans. This facility will include a 134-bed hospital, a 120-bed nursing home, a 60-bed domiciliary, an outpatient clinic, and administrative offices. This site is in a research and health care district, which will soon host the University of Central Florida Medical School, expanding research and clinical opportunities."

Stearns joined in approving an initial $25 million for the new Orlando VA hospital in 2004, and was instrumental in getting action on the authorization measure calling for $377.7 million for the entire project. The authorization measure was help up due to a disagreement over House and Senate language, and Stearns gathered the support of the Florida delegation in urging action on the measure before the end of 2006. Stearns also served as a House conferee working with his Senate counterparts in developing a final bill, and he succeeded in overcoming the House and Senate disagreement and the measure was approved in December.