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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A state lawmaker is taking up the fight to find funding for a nursing home for Utah's estimated 160,000 military veterans.
Representative Brad Dee, a Washington Terrace Republican, says he's tired of waiting for federal funding to come through while watching construction costs for the $19 million project rise.
In 2005, state lawmakers came up with a $4.5 million bond plan for the home in Ogden. But that's been on hold because the federal government hasn't come through with its share of the cost.
Increased state funding for the project didn't come through during the 2007 session despite a surplus of state money.
So Dee has started a bill request titled: "Funding Veterans Administration Hospital."
Currently there are 80 nursing home beds in use by veterans on the campus of the VA hospital in Salt Lake City. The Veterans Administration says Utah needs about 300 beds. The new home in Ogden would add 120 beds to the state's total
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Information from: Deseret Morning News
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
