Tester celebrates expansion of Billings VA Clinic

‘We must do everything we can to support Montana veterans’

(BILLINGS, Mont.) – Senator Jon Tester today joined VA Montana and the Billings community in dedicating the expanded Billings VA Clinic.

“This clinic will provide our region’s veterans with some of the best medical care our nation has to offer,” said Tester, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, as he delivered the day’s keynote speech. “Montana veterans earned the best health care and the best providers available no matter where they live.”

The expanded clinic will provide outpatient surgery and specialty services to nearly 20,000 veterans in Montana and Wyoming. It will also provide same-day surgery, and offer new services in audiology, podiatry, dental care, and physical and occupational therapy.

Previously, many of these services were only available at Fort Harrison in Helena, which is a lengthy drive for many veterans in eastern Montana.

“When our sons and daughters, our husbands and wives, return home with wounds of war – both seen and unseen – we must do everything we can to support them,” Tester said.

Senator Tester has worked with local veterans and the VA for the past six years to help secure funding for the clinic.

Background Timeline:

• January 2008 – Tester worked with Secretary Peake to secure funding for Phase I
• February 2008 – Tester toured the old clinic with Secretary Peake
• November 2008 – Tester joined the VA when it broke ground on the new clinic
• October 2009 – Tester urged Secretary Shinseki to fund Phase II in the VA budget
• February 2011 – Tester announced funding for Phase II is granted
• March 2013 – Clinic opened
• April 2014 – Formal dedication of clinic