Colorado Senators Offer Measure To Reform VA Construction

DENVER (AP) - Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner are offering legislation to put the Army Corps of Engineers in charge of all VA construction projects costing more than $100 million.

The measure announced Wednesday is an amendment to a defense spending bill.

Lawmakers are demanding changes in the Veterans Affairs Department after the cost of a VA hospital under construction in Aurora ballooned to $1.73 billion. That's nearly triple the VA's estimate from last year.

The VA and Congress are negotiating an agreement for about $625 million more for the project, which the department says it needs to finish.

Bennet, a Democrat, and Gardner, a Republican, amended the defense bill last week to direct the Government Accountability Office to look into the overruns. Two internal VA investigations are underway.

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