A four-year battle is over — Utah's veterans are finally victorious.

The Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved bonding for a veterans nursing home in Ogden. A day earlier, the House also passed the bill in similar fashion.

"If there was ever a message bill, this is the one we should really be supporting," said Sen. Ed Mayne, D-West Valley. "This is a small, small thing. But it's very big to the people who have served our country."

The Legislature approved a $4.5 million bond to fund construction on the state's second veterans nursing home facility. It was the fourth straight year the veterans lobbied the Legislature for funding.

The bond is contingent upon an additional $8.5 million in federal funding for the home by Dec. 31, 2006. Terry Schow, director of the Utah Division of Veterans Affairs, said the deadline will not be an issue. As soon as the state approves the bonds, "we'll shoot right up the list" to receive the federal dollars, he said.

The new nursing home would be located on the western side of the Weber County fairgrounds at the U.S. Army Reserve Browning Reserve Center. The facility would house 120 beds and serve veterans in Box Elder, Davis and Weber counties.

The state currently runs one veterans nursing home, which has a waiting list that hovers near 125 people and is growing every day, said Frank Maughan, commander of the Utah Disabled American Veterans. The 80-bed Salt Lake facility has been running at capacity since it opened in 1989.

Utah's lone Medal of Honor winner, George Wahlen, said he was proud to finally see state support for a nursing home that is sorely needed.

"I've seen the sacrifices that have been made," Wahlen said. "It's nice someone else finally sees it, too."

Wahlen served heroically during the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima. As a 20-year-old medic, Wahlen was wounded three times and repeatedly risked his life to save others. He refused evacuation and faced tremendous fire to assist wounded Americans.

The veterans were caught in a political tug-of-war during the waning hours of the last legislative session. When given the choice to fund the Drug Offenders Reform Act or the veterans nursing home, or scrap them both, the House GOP caucus voted unanimously to approve neither.

"They held us hostage," said Bob Jones, state commander of the Utah American Legion. "That's not the message we need to tell our guys that have paid the price."

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E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com