**Congresswoman Goodlander spoke on the Floor of the House earlier today, urging passage of this amendment. You can watch the congresswoman’s full remarks here**
Washington, D.C. – Today, the United States House of Representatives passed an amendment to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, introduced by Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander, a former intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve for over a decade and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, to help pave the way for a full-service VA hospital in New Hampshire. The amendment is co-led by Congressman Chris Pappas, Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
New Hampshire is the only state in the contiguous 48 states to not have a dedicated, full-service VA hospital. An Executive Order issued by President Trump on May 9th instructed the VA to begin a feasibility study on expanding services to support a full-service medical center in New Hampshire within 30 days and submit an action plan to the President within 180 days.
“We have a sacred obligation to the tens of thousands of women and men across New Hampshire who served our country in uniform. They put their lives on the line to keep us safe, and it’s my mission in Congress to ensure these brave American heroes have access to the full range of healthcare they need,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “This amendment is an important step in this mission.”
“Our veterans have put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, and they ought to receive the care and benefits they have earned after their service,” said Congressman Pappas. “I’m glad to see this amendment to put New Hampshire veterans on equal footing with those in other states pass the House. I will continue working to bring a full-service VA hospital to New Hampshire and ensure that Granite State veterans retain access to a broad span of community health resources so that they do not struggle to access, or need to travel long distances for, essential care.”
“Our Nation made a promise to all that served and the Veterans Administration should treat each state those veterans live in equally. It imposes great difficulties and stress to those who must travel out of state to either Boston and White River Junction to be taken care of. This is also a great hardship for their families, many times they cannot be part of the veteran’s treatment, be it because of distance or cost of transportation. We vowed as a Nation to take care of those who have borne the battle. They deserve and have earned this care,” said Richard Borrazas, US Coast Guard Veteran and current service officer, in a letter to Congresswoman Goodlander.
The amendment reads: “The Committee supports the Department’s effort to conduct a feasibility study at the Manchester VA Medical Center and to submit to Congress an action plan by November 6, 2025, to expand services for a full-service medical center in New Hampshire so that it is no longer the only state in the contiguous United States without such a center.”
Goodlander and Pappas remain steadfast advocates for expanding access to the healthcare that New Hampshire veterans need and deserve. Last week in the U.S. House of Representatives, Pappas, alongside Goodlander, introduced the Veterans Full-Service Care and Access Act, legislation that would require the VA to operate, at minimum, one full-service Veterans Health Administration hospital within each state in the contiguous 48 states. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is leading companion legislation in the Senate, cosponsored by U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
###
