State of the Union Address by President Donald J. Trump February 5th, 2019
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Senator Murray Helps Deliver Major Victory for Walla Walla Veterans

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, announced that the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center in Walla Walla will receive $71.4 million for design and construction of a new outpatient clinic for Walla Walla area veterans.  Senator Murray has worked for over five years to save the Walla Walla VA Medical Center and to ensure that it has a future.

“This is a major victory that veterans in southeast Washington, northern Oregon and Idaho have waited a long time for,” said Senator Murray. “Thousands of veterans rely on the Walla Walla VA and today they can look forward to a new era of quality, expanded local care.

“Today’s news is the result of a long, hard struggle that I have been proud to fight with the veterans that rely on the Walla Walla facilities. Not long ago the VA recommended shutting Walla Walla down. Then, for many years the VA promised a new, modern facility in Walla Walla, but didn’t live up to that promise.  Today it is clear that not only will the Walla Walla VA medical survive, it will prosper.

“With Thanksgiving right around the corner this is a perfect time to thank the brave men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country with funding for this critically needed facility.”

The funding approved today will go toward the design and construction of a 65,000 square foot outpatient clinic that will be located on the campus of the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center. The clinic will serve nearly 70,000 area veterans.

Senator Murray has taken multiple steps to save the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center in Walla Walla from closure and to support the construction of the outpatient clinic.

A summary of some of Senator Murray’s work follows:

  • In July 2003, the VA was trying to close health care facilities in Tacoma, Vancouver and Walla Walla. Senator Murray immediately wrote to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, and questioned the VA’s general counsel at a Senate hearing.
  • The next day, Secretary Principi called Senator Murray and gave her his word that the American Lake VA Medical Center in Tacoma would not be closed. He also pledged that the VA’s CARES Commission would take input directly from Washington state veterans regarding the Vancouver and Walla Walla facilities. Secretary Principi kept his word.
  • In the months that followed, Murray worked closely with local veterans and visited the Vancouver medical center. She submitted testimony at CARES hearings in Vancouver and Walla Walla.
  • Then in February 2004, the CARES Commission submitted its report to Secretary Principi. It recommended keeping the Vancouver hospital open. But unfortunately, the Commission recommended closing the Walla Walla facility.
  • Senator Murray immediately sent a letter with Senator Cantwell to Secretary Principi opposing any closure.
  • In April 2004, Senator Murray chaired a hearing and heard from veterans to build an official record to press the VA Secretary to keep the hospital open. She also made a personal plea to President Bush to save the Walla Walla VA hospital.
  • In May 2004, after nearly ten months of work to defend the hospital, including numerous private meetings, letters and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearings, Secretary Principi told Senator Murray in a meeting that the VA would remove Walla Walla from the VA’s closure list, thereby preserving care for the region’s 69,000 veterans.
  • In September 2004, Senator Murray earmarked funds for the community task force to study the future of the Walla Walla VAMC. 
  • Senator Murray then pressed Secretary Nicholson to make the decision about the future of Walla Walla locally driven.  
  • In June 2007, Senator Murray included language in the VA spending bill urging the VA to fund construction of a new outpatient clinic in Walla Walla in FY 2009.
  • At General James Peake’s nomination hearing to be VA Secretary in December 2007, Senator Murray invited General Peake to visit Walla Walla and learn of its importance once confirmed. Secretary Peake took up Senator Murray’s invitation and toured the Walla Walla VAMC with Senator Murray in February 2008.  
  • The VA ultimately approved a plan to construct an outpatient clinic, and that project was included in the FY2009 major construction priority list.
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