English: March 13, 2022

Press Release Biden's Department of Veterans Affairs is proposing to close the Brooklyn VA Medical Center and merge the Staten Island Community VA Clinic with NJ (STATEN ISLAND/BROOKLYN, NY) -TodayCongresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) joined Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella and local veterans groups at two events to speak out against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) proposal to close and consolidate VA Medical Centers in New York City.

Under the VA’s proposal, the Manhattan and Brooklyn VA Medical Centers would close entirely, contracting out inpatient and outpatient services to private medical providers as part of a new “strategic collaboration.” While veteran mental-health services would be expanded on Staten Island, the clinic would merge with a VA medical campus in New Jersey. This means veterans who are patients at the Staten Island clinic would be forced to travel upwards of two hours round trip and face a burdensome $16 toll to receive specialized treatment.

As of 2019, there were 138,000 veterans living in the New York City metropolitan area according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with 75 percentbeing senior citizens. The Brooklyn VA Medical Center and Manhattan VA Medical Center service roughly 1,000 veterans every day (M-F) for outpatient appointments.

"Under no circumstance will we allow the Biden Administration to close our VA hospitals," Malliotakis said in front of the Staten Island Community VA Clinic. "Our VA Medical Centers provide specialized treatments and services that our veterans rely on, need, and quite frankly, deserve. I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will be steadfast and strong against this proposal. If President Biden is serious about expanding health care access to our nation's veterans, I fully expect this proposal to be dead on arrival if it gets to his desk."

"About 15 years ago, this same movie was playing out," Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said. "I was in Congress at the time, and we demonstrated then that it was insane to close the Brooklyn VA. It was insane then, and it's insane now. We will do everything possible to keep the Brooklyn VA open. We have to stand up and fight with the veterans of Staten Island."

Areported26 percent of all veterans nationwide have some sort of service-related disability, with the number increasing to about 40 percent for younger veterans who served post-9/11. There are several benefits for veterans treated at VA hospitals, including:

Veterans who are taken by ambulance to VA hospitals are 20 percent more likelyto survive than those who are taken to non-VA hospitals, with the survival rate increasing even more so for black and Latino veterans. Veterans who take advantageof the VA's peer-to-peer treatment programs are more likely to go to their appointments, seek out additional treatments, and meet other health benchmarks.

"There are only three hospitals in the whole country that are proposed to be closed and two of them are in New York City," said Lee Covino, a veteran and Staten Island resident. "It's outrageous. We have to stay sharp, and when those public hearings come up, we need everyone to testify."

"We have to get all of the veterans out," said Gene DiGiacomo, Staten Island President of Vietnam Veterans of America. "This is a bipartisan issue. We have to send letters and we have to be behind these folks. This is our link to getting things straightened out."

"My proudest time as a nurse was when I was caring for our veterans," said Mary McLoone who was a member of the Army Nurse Corps in Vietnam. "I've worked with a lot of doctors over the years, and the staff at our VA clinics are top-notch. I don't think people realize when you walk into a VA facility, there's a camaraderie and a love between all of us that nobody can understand. I pray that we can keep these facilities open because we really need them."

To watch the Congresswoman's Staten Island press conference click HERE.

"Every time I visit this facility, I meet veterans from every borough of our city," Malliotakis said at the Brooklyn rally. "It's an incredibly important facility for those who've served our nation. Our veterans fought and were willing to die for our nation - they shouldn't have to come home and fight for their health care too."

“The potential closure of the Brooklyn VA Medical Center is unacceptable," Assemblyman Michael Tannousis said at the Brooklyn Rally. "Our veterans have not been receiving the proper support that they deserve to begin with. The potential closure of this medical center is a slap in the face to the people that put their lives in harm's way to protect us.”

"This is unfortunate that the military would play such games," said Marty Golden, former New York City Councilman. "Our veterans make us the greatest nation in the world. We owe it to our veterans not to close any military bases or VA hospitals - we need them open and we need this hospital in Brooklyn."

"I'm at the Brooklyn VA Medical Center five days a week, said Herb Morales, a local veteran. "Five years ago, I had open-heart surgery and they saved my life. I'm dealing with cancer now, but the VA is helping me all the way. I can't make it to the Bronx VA hospital or another VA in Jersey. Being here five days a week is a nightmare itself. We have to keep this place open."