Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex and Union)
Assemblywoman TENNILLE R. MCCOY
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson, Assemblymen Freiman, Conaway, Assemblywomen Fantasia, Speight and Assemblyman Inganamort
SYNOPSIS
Urges United States Department of Veterans Affairs to establish inpatient hospital facility at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to establish an inpatient hospital facility at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
Whereas, The citizens of this nation and State are indebted to the sacrifice and heroism of all who have bravely served in the Armed Forces of the United States; and
Whereas, In return for their sacrifices, this country has made a commitment to meeting the health care needs of veterans, especially those with service-related disabilities; and
Whereas, As of 2023, 338,012 veterans live in New Jersey, with 119,200 of them residing in the southern counties of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem; and
Whereas, There is currently no federal Department of Veterans Affairs inpatient hospital facility in southern New Jersey, making it necessary for veterans needing inpatient care to travel long distances to northern New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware; and
Whereas, The East Orange Veterans Medical Center, which is the largest health care facility serving veterans from southern New Jersey, has not been modernized in decades; and
Whereas, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is an ideal location for an inpatient hospital facility for veterans from southern New Jersey; and
Whereas, In New Jersey, the average resident lives approximately 12 minutes away from the closest hospital; and
Whereas, The drive to the closest inpatient hospital facility for a veteran in New Jersey can be multiple hours, so establishing an inpatient hospital facility at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst will significantly shorten the distance for many veterans; and
Whereas, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst provides a variety of other services to veterans, so adding an inpatient hospital facility would make trips to the base efficient and convenient for veterans; and
Whereas, It is fitting and appropriate for the State to take steps to ensure that our nation's promises to the veterans of southern New Jersey to have access to health care services are kept; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs to establish an inpatient hospital
facility at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and to each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This Assembly resolution urges the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to establish an inpatient hospital facility at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The citizens of this nation and State are indebted to the sacrifice and heroism of all who have bravely served in the Armed Forces of the United States. In return for their sacrifices, this country has made a commitment to meeting the health care needs of veterans.
As of 2023, 338,012 veterans live in New Jersey, with 119,200 of them residing in the southern counties of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem. Currently, there is no federal Department of Veterans Affairs inpatient hospital facility in southern New Jersey, making it necessary for veterans needing inpatient care to travel long distances to northern New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware. The East Orange Veterans Medical Center is the largest health care facility serving veterans from southern New Jersey, which is over two hours away from some veterans. In New Jersey, the average resident lives approximately 12 minutes away from the closest hospital, therefore, requiring veterans to travel multiple hours for medical care is unjust.
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is an ideal location for an inpatient hospital facility for veterans from southern New Jersey as it shortens the travel distance for these veterans. Additionally, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst provides a variety of other services to veterans, therefore, making trips to the base efficient and convenient for veterans and their families.
It is fitting and appropriate for the State to take steps to ensure that our nation's promise of health care access is kept to the veterans of southern New Jersey.