NH Delegation Presses VA to Take Comprehensive Steps Toward Delivering a Full-Service VA Hospital to New Hampshire

Washington, D.C. -- Today, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (NH), and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (NH) called on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to seriously and fully follow through on the Trump administrations' commitment to conduct a feasibility study and develop an action plan to expand services at the Manchester VA Medical Center (Manchester VAMC), with the goal of establishing a full-service VA hospital in New Hampshire.

In the letter, the delegation wrote, "We believe the case for a full-service VA hospital is strong, and the feasibility study and action plan should lead to a clear commitment to establishing one. As such, the Administration and VA must take this effort seriously and give it the full rigor, transparency, and resources it deserves. This includes conducting a comprehensive, evidence-based analysis of veteran healthcare needs and access across the state, engaging substantively with federal, state, and local stakeholders, including local Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) and Granite State veterans themselves, and developing a plan that reflects both the data and the real-world challenges New Hampshire veterans face every day."

"More than 85,000 veterans call New Hampshire home. While Manchester VAMC and Community-Based Outpatient Clinics provide essential services, and VA's Community Care Network has helped expand access to care, significant gaps remain. These include limited access to specialized care, long travel distances for treatment, and other barriers that a full-service hospital could help to address," they continued.

They concluded, "We therefore urge the Administration and VA to treat this not just as an assessment, but an opportunity to provide New Hampshire veterans with the same level of care enjoyed in other states and affirm what we and many in the veteran community already know: that New Hampshire needs and deserves a full-service VA hospital. We encourage you to work closely with stakeholders at every level, prioritize input from New Hampshire veterans, and build a plan that finally delivers the care and services they have earned through a full-service VA hospital in their own state."

The full text of the letter can be read here .

Background:

New Hampshire is the only state in the contiguous 48 states to not have a dedicated, full-service VA hospital. An Executive Order issued by President Trump on May 9th instructed VA to complete a feasibility study on expanding services to support a full-service medical center in New Hampshire within 30 days and submit an action plan to the President within 180 days.