Carbondale Reporter

U.S. Representative Mike Bost has expressed approval for the Senate's recent passage of a bill that allocates over $135 million for renovations at the John A. Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis. The hospital, which has been identified as needing updated clinical services and a new bed tower, will benefit from this funding.

"For far too long, St. Louis and Metro East Illinois veterans served by the John A. Cochran VA Hospital have been waiting for improved medical facilities," stated Bost. "The VA has recognized for well over a decade that the hospital’s bed tower needs to be replaced and its clinical services need to be modernized. This project's funding has been a top priority of mine, and as chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I will continue working to see that the Biden administration gets this project over the finish line. Our veterans deserve it."

In September, Bost collaborated with U.S. Representatives Ann Wagner, Sam Graves, Blaine Luetkemeyer, and Jason Smith to send a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough. The letter urged improvements at the St. Louis facility due to ongoing delays despite acknowledgment of necessary upgrades.

The legislation had previously passed in the House and is now set to be signed into law by the President.