Health Care

House renews law allowing VA to build hospitals with private aid

| Posted in In the News

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to extend for five more years the 2016 law that permitted a public-private partnership to build the Omaha VA Medical Center’s new $86 million ambulatory care clinic, according to a press release from Nebraska Republicaep. Don Bacon. The House rolled the extension of the Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed…

Bacon Announces First Win in Passing CHIP IN Reauthorization

| Posted in Press Releases

Washington, D.C.  – Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebr.) today celebrated the news that his legislation H.R. 3888, which reauthorizes the CHIP IN for Vets Act for an additional five years was included as part of an annual extenders bill that was passed in the House. The legislation allows local communities across the country to assist with the planning and construction of Department of Veterans…

Omaha VA explores partnership for new care facility, including possibly UNMC's Project NExT

| Posted in In the News

It’s been less than a year since the Omaha VA opened a new outpatient care facility to serve the region’s veterans, built through a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership with Omaha philanthropists. Now the Omaha VA is exploring another public-private partnership to improve inpatient hospital and surgical facilities for veterans — with one possibility discussed being to…

Midlands Voices: Yes, Congress can move past politics to work together

| Posted in In the News

Here is an example of how working together regardless of partisan politics serves Nebraska and was crucial to passing legislation important to Omaha and Nebraska. [...] We took the bipartisan Nebraska way to Congress and our community now has a new VA facility. Henry Cordes of The World-Herald recently reported that Rep. Don Bacon and Sen. Fischer have introduced a…

In concussion debate, don’t forget toll on first-responders

| Posted in In the News

Concussions and other injuries sustained by law enforcement at the Capitol on Jan. 6 garnered national headlines. While much of the national dialog surrounding concussions over the past decade has focused on athletes, concussions, also known as mild traumatic brain injuries or mTBI, are a daily hazard faced by first-responders across the country. Although specific data on the annual…

UNMC Picked for All-Hazards Response Facility Pilot Program

| Posted in In the News

In a win for the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s ongoing Project NExT, Omaha has been selected as a pilot site to develop a federal all-hazards response facility. The Nebraska congressional delegation announced last week that UNMC and Nebraska Medicine was selected as one of five sites in the U.S. to pilot their surge capacity response program.  The other sites are…

UNMC/Nebraska Medicine Selected as A Federal Partner Site for All-Hazard Medical Response Program

| Posted in Press Releases

 Omaha, Neb. — The Nebraska congressional delegation today welcomed notice of the selection of Omaha, home to the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Nebraska Medicine, as a key pilot site designated to develop a federal program that will improve the nation’s ability to respond to future catastrophic events such as pandemics, natural disasters, or a direct attack on…

Bacon, Spanberger Reintroduce Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act to Recognize Long-Term Risks of Military Firefighting, Strengthen VA Benefits for Veteran Firefighters

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) introduced l the Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act, which provides veteran firefighters with the fair compensation, healthcare, and retirement benefits they’ve earned through their service.  The bipartisan legislation is named after Powhatan County, Virginia resident Michael…

GOP Problem-Solver On Legislation He Thinks Will Unite Lawmakers

| Posted in In the News

GOP Problem-Solver On Legislation He Thinks Will Unite Lawmakers NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, about what legislation he thinks lawmakers will come together across the aisle for and pass quickly. https://www.npr.org/2021/01/19/958472430/gop-problem-solver-on-legislation-he-thinks-will-unite-lawmakers