Bill aims to eliminate panel that recommended shutting VA clinics

May 25—New Mexico Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján are among the co-sponsors of a bill aimed at eliminating the federal commission that recommended the closure of veterans clinics in four small Northern New Mexico communities.

Heinrich, an Albuquerque Democrat, said Tuesday he and Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Mike Rounds, R-S.D., John Thune, R-S.D., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., have put forward the Elimination of the VA Asset and Infrastructure Review Act.

"Closing down community-based outpatient clinics that New Mexico veterans rely on is not an option," Heinrich said in a statement. "This process has relied on pre-pandemic data that doesn't accurately reflect the current realities of veterans in our state, including access to broadband, health care provider shortages and having nowhere else to turn to for medical services in rural New Mexico. We need to gear our focus towards improving access to the quality care and benefits that our veterans earned through their service."

The Department of Veterans Affairs' commission recommended the closure of clinics in Española, Gallup, Raton and Las Vegas, N.M., earlier this spring. The move drew howls from veterans and their families who contend their health care needs will not be adequately met if the facilities close.

Heinrich, Luján and U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández held community meetings on the issue and were critical of the data used to justify the closure recommendation.

The clinics serve more than 4,000 New Mexico vets. But the commission report recommended modernizing the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center in Albuquerque.

In early May, Heinrich said he had a working agreement with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough to take another look at the data. In a hearing, McDonough said the commission should update its recommendations once a separate assessment is completed.

"The GAO [Government Accounting Office] said it is dated. The IG [inspector general] has said that data is dated," McDonough said during the hearing, later adding he believed the commission should update its recommendations if the "data has moved in an appreciable way."

Heinrich has indicated he is looking at a variety of options to keep the clinics open and has invited McDonough to tour them.