Utah's war veterans will get second nursing home

Utah leaders are sick of waiting for the federal government to pony up and pay for a veterans nursing home in Ogden.

Now they are poised to just pay for it up-front and wait for the federal government to pay them back later.

The Utah House on Thursday unanimously approved a bill to provide $19.7 million to build the facility, and the Senate will likely follow suit and pass the bill, Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble said.

"The hang-up hasn't been supporting the veterans," Bramble said. "The hang-up has been the federal government not doing what it was supposed to do."

The veterans nursing home is near the bottom of a federal funding list, and it will take another four or five years to finally see the 65 percent match the federal government promised, said Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace, the bill's sponsor.

The state's been waiting for the federal match since 2005, when they approved a $4.5 million bond to cover the state's share of expenses. That bond was contingent on the federal funding.

Veterans thought the state would bite the bullet and pay for the facility during the 2007 legislative session, since a huge budget surplus was available. But lawmakers were hesitant, and unsure the federal government would actually come through with the money later.

Waiting for the federal money to come first could cause total construction costs to jump $6 million, said Terry Schow, director of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Things changed this year, with leadership on both sides of the aisle and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. supporting the funding bill.

"To me, this is all about people serving people," Rep. Neil Hansen, D-Ogden said. "The veterans have served us, now it's time for us to serve them."

The bill, HB129, had 74 co-sponsors in the 75-member House.

"It's also important that we recognize those that came home," Rep. Kerry Gibson, R-Ogden said. "Sometimes we tend to forget more often than not."

Veterans were relieved to find out the facility will finally be built after lobbying the Legislature for four sessions.

"My heart soars like an eagle," said, retired Navy Rear Admiral Jeremy Taylor, who led a group of veterans in a salute to member of the House. "We love you guys very much."