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 Affairs (VA) health care facilities. Bacon, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, had introduced the bipartisan bicameral legislation in the House with Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Penn), while U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) introduced the companion legislation in the Senate. 

“Nebraska’s 2nd district benefitted from the original CHIP IN Act championed by my friend, former Congressman Brad Ashford, that resulted in the building of Omaha’s new VA Ambulatory Care Clinic. Our veterans deserve high quality and modern health services and this extension of the CHIP IN Act will allow communities to invest in and help create these facilities. This is a win for our veterans across the country who will benefit from these public-private partnerships. The next step is the Senate where I know Sen. Fischer will lead the charge to see this to its full completion,” said Bacon. 

“It is very difficult to pass meaningful legislation in this Congress.  The CHIP IN for Veterans Act that passed in 2016 has resulted in our new medical facility in Omaha and a new Project in Tulsa. Congressman Bacon forged a bipartisan coalition to pass the legislation that gives it new life so our Veterans can continue to benefit from public private partnerships authorized under the Act,” said Brad Ashford, former Congressman of Nebraska’s 2nd District. 

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The original CHIP IN for Vets Act passed Congress in 2016 and authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to allow local communities to manage construction of VA projects. The VA has already appropriated millions of dollars to construction projects that remain unfinished or have not yet begun, and this program allows communities to take the lead, contributing the remaining finances to ensure these projects are completed on-time and on-budget. Today’s new legislation reauthorizes the program for another five years.

The CHIP IN program enabled the construction of Omaha’s $86 million VA ambulatory care clinic, helping to raise an additional $30 million after Congress appropriated $56 million for the project. 

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