Representative Says Delays Must End, Contractor Must Go
Grayson ‘Lowers the Boom’ on Deficient VA Medical Center Contractor
Representative Says Delays Must End, Contractor Must Go
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The House of Representatives passed the Military Construction, Veteran Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2015 (H.R. 4486) this evening. The bill included a provision inserted by Representative Alan Grayson (FL-09) that severely punishes the contractor Brasfield & Gorrie (B&G), for any further delays in the construction of the Orlando VA Medical Center. B&G has already caused an eighteen-month delay.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been building a new VA Medical Center, designed to serve an area of more than 90,000 veterans in East Central Florida. The Medical Center had a competition date of October 2012, but it has been plagued by construction delays caused by the project contractor, B&G. More than a year and a half later, the construction is still underway. Grayson called the delay was unacceptable. “My constituents, who bravely fought for their country, are still waiting for this facility to open. Our veterans are counting on a completed facility that will provide the services that they deserve. There is no excuse for a delay like this. It’s appalling.”
Grayson sent a letter to the VA earlier this month, requesting that B&G be removed from the project entirely. He also wants to prevent something like this from happening in the future. That’s why he’s pleased that H.R. 4486 passed the House tonight. The bill includes language inserted from Grayson’s own bill, H.R. 4394, to prevent contractors who cause project delays from working on military or VA construction in the future.
Grayson explained the significance of the provision, saying, “If you are a contractor, and you’re responsible for a delay of two or more years in the completion of a VA facility, you cannot receive contracts for military or VA construction in the future under this bill. In our case, unless the current contractor for the Orlando VA Medical Center finishes its work quickly and without further delays, it won’t be able to obtain future contracts from funds appropriated by this bill. That hurts – but it doesn’t even begin compare to the pain that my constituents have suffered while waiting for the VA Medical Center that has been promised to them.”
“I will request this language in every single Military Construction, Veteran Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act that comes to this Floor, for as long as I serve in this body,” Grayson promised. “I will hold B&G responsible, and any other contractor who causes a delay, responsible.”
Congressman Alan Grayson represents Florida’s 9th Congressional District, which includes Osceola County, as well as parts of Orange and Polk counties. He previously served as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 8th Congressional District in the 111th Congress.
