Tester, Daines Introduce Bill to Approve Expansion of Missoula VA Clinic

Bipartisan Legislation Will Expand Access to Care for Western Montana Veterans

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines have introduced legislation that will expand the VA’s outpatient clinic in Missoula to provide better care for Montana veterans.

The bipartisan Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act will authorize the VA to move forward with leasing space in Missoula to expand the VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) by 24 percent. That expansion will allow the VA to serve more patients, provide more privacy to veterans seeking care, and better ensure doctors, nurses and medical personnel have the space they need to effectively do their jobs.

“I’ve toured the crowded facility in Missoula and heard from area veterans and medical providers that we need an expanded clinic,” said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This bill will support veterans in western Montana by increasing their access to health care.”

“Montana’s veterans could greatly benefit from having additional access to healthcare closer to home,” Daines stated. “Having an expanded clinic will go a long way towards providing increased access to care more quickly for our veterans.”

Missoula veterans have been waiting over a year for Congress to approve this lease. If approved, the VA can rent additional space while simultaneously moving forward with plans to build a larger clinic that can serve more veterans.

The bipartisan Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act will authorize leases for 24 VA medical facilities in 15 states.

Tester and Daines also introduced this legislation in the 114th Congress.