February 22, 2010

Washington, DC – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Sierra Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS) will receive $5.5 million from the Recovery Act to fund renovation projects, improve care, and create hundreds of jobs.
 
Funds will go to Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center in Reno, the main campus of VASNHS, where $1.2 million will support projects to ensure patient and staff safety by upgrading several elevators in older sections of the hospital by December 2010.  About $650,000 will go towards completing renovations of the Community Living Center, which creates a home-like environment for patients and their visiting families, and is expected to be finished by November 2010.
 
Stimulus dollars will support several other projects as well, such as sprinkler installation, replacement and upgrade of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning control systems, replacement of sidewalks outside the facility and flooring in various buildings, renovation of the Urgent Care Center and Police Service, and replacement of a sewer line.  
 
“It’s our duty to ensure that Nevada’s veterans, who have sacrificed so much for our country, receive the best possible care, and the recovery act dollars will help us do just that,” Reid said.  “In addition to improving care, hundreds of Nevadans will be put to work on improvements and renovations as well as caring for patients.  That’s what the Recovery Act is all about: creating jobs and addressing critical needs.”