Sen. Hirono Presses to Expand VA Care Options on Neighbor Islands

Sen. Mazie Hirono. Courtesy photo.

Sen. Mazie K. Hirono pressed Robert Wilkie, President Trump’s nominee to serve as the next Secretary of Veterans Affairs, for a commitment to expand VA care options for Hawai‘i residents living on Neighbor Islands and in rural communities. Senator Hirono secured a commitment from the nominee to work with her to ensure the success and completion of outstanding projects should he be confirmed.

Sen. Hirono said in her questioning:

“As an island state, veterans in Hawai‘i face unique challenges accessing VA care. Oftentimes, veterans need to fly from the islands they live on to Honolulu if care is not available on their home island. It’s why I’ve consistently fought for the construction of community-based care options for Hawai‘i veterans living on Neighbor Islands, including the new VA clinics planned for Maui, Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island.

“There are a total of seven outstanding VA clinic projects at various levels in the procurement process that my office has been monitoring including the future Leeward O‘ahu Outpatient Healthcare Access Multispecialty Clinic which I worked to authorize in the 2014 Choice Act. Can you commit to continuing to provide my office updates from VA on the status of these projects and ensure that they are completed in a timely manner?”