Veterans Administration hospitals have avoided a shutdown, thanks to legislation passed by Congress.
All the members of New Hampshire’s House and Senate delegations voted this week to authorize the use of $3.3 billion in Veterans Choice funds to plug a hole in the VA’s budget.
According to VA Secretary Bob McDonald, failure to pass the legislation, known as the VA Budget and Choice Improvement Act, would have forced some VA hospitals across the country to close. The agency declined to say whether the VA medical centers in Manchester and White River Junction, Vt., would have been among those closed.
The legislation was part of a larger bill meant to extend spending authority for transportation programs through October 29th.
The legislation also calls for the consolidation of all non-VA provider programs into a new Veterans Choice Program.
The bill now heads to the President for his signature.
