Fischer, Ricketts Introduce Legislation to Reauthorize CHIP IN for Veterans Act

Today, U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) introduced legislation to reauthorize the
CHIP IN for Veterans Act
for an additional five years. The legislation allows local communities across the country to assist with the planning and construction of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facilities.
U.S. Representative Don Bacon (NE-02) introduced identical companion legislation that passed the House earlier this week.
“America’s veterans have gone above and beyond to defend our freedom and keep us safe. After serving our country, they deserve access to high-quality and modern health care facilities and services. In 2016, I led the introduction of the original CHIP IN for Vets Act that created this crucial program, and I’m proud to once again lead this bill to reauthorize this program for an additional five years. This legislation ensures that they are taken care of by enabling local communities to continue to invest in these facilities – saving time and taxpayer money,”
said Fischer.
“Our heroic veterans deserve the highest quality of care. Enabling communities to take charge in completing federal projects has created substantial impacts for our nation’s heroes. The Omaha Ambulatory Care Center was the first-of-its-kind public-private partnership where private donor money and leadership brought construction to a completion under budget and on time. Omaha has set the model for future VA care and government service, and I am proud to support the extension of this program. This is one of many proven Nebraska solutions that are ready for America,”
said Ricketts.
Click
here
to view text of the bill.
Background:
The original
CHIP IN for Veterans Act
, led by Fischer and passed by Congress in 2016, authorized the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to allow local communities to manage construction of VA projects. The VA appropriated millions of dollars to construction projects that remain unfinished or had not yet begun, and this program allowed communities to take the lead, contributing the remaining finances to ensure these projects are completed on-time and on-budget.
In 2021, Congress
passed
– and the President signed into law – Fischer’s legislation to reauthorize the CHIP IN program for another five years, which will expire at the end of 2026.
The CHIP IN program enabled the construction of Omaha’s $86 million VA ambulatory care clinic, helping to raise an additional $30 million after Congress appropriated $56 million for the project.