Kagen Secures Funding for Local Veterans
Waupaca, WI — Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D. is looking out for our veterans as we take action to rebuild our nation’s economy. The Wisconsin Veterans Home at King will receive $2,278,600 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Kagen announced.
“I am working hard to support our veterans before, during and after they serve in harm’s way,” said Kagen. “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is transformational legislation because it invests in so many critical areas including our brave veterans. Your tax dollars belong right here, boosting our economy in Waupaca, not overseas. I am proud to be bringing these funds home for our brave veterans.”
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides funding for the National and State Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities and National Veterans Cemeteries. It also offers grants to help states in acquiring or building state nursing homes and domiciliaries, and to help remodel, modify or alter existing facilities to care for Veterans.
“We could not have taken this forward without Congressman Kagen,” Wisconsin Veterans Administration Secretary Ken Black said. “This center is important because it’s a large, family-rooted system.”
Wisconsin State Veterans Home at King will undertake three projects with these funds: A security monitoring system, the remodeling of laundry facilities, and a residential lift system.
“The Congressman has always made veterans a priority,” said Veterans Center Commandant Bill Crowley. “I’m here to tell you he dedicates himself to us, both in Washington and here in Wisconsin. This exemplifies what he’s done for us. This is significant.”
The Veterans Administration (VA) will also make a one-time payment of $250 to eligible disabled Veterans and survivors to help alleviate the effects of the current economy. The VA estimates that starting in June 2009, $700 million in payments will be made.
Congressman Kagen, in his enduring loyalty to our men and women in uniform, recently enlisted in a bi-partisan effort in Congress to defeat a provision in the upcoming budget that would force veterans to use their private insurance to pay for the treatment of service-related ailments.
