On January 30, 2015, Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent a letter to President Barack Obama, asking him to keep his campaign promise to build a VA hospital in the Rio Grande Valley. While campaigning in the Rio Grande Valley in 2008, Obama remarked,
“We need a VA hospital right here in the Valley.”
Currently, the nearest VA hospital is in San Antonio.
According to the Governor’s letter, tens of thousands of veterans live in the Rio Grande Valley. He calls on the President to create more facilities in the area. Governor Abbott also points out that as a Senator, Obama co-sponsored legislation to provide a hospital in the area, and urges him to follow through.
The letter also announces plans to establish a medical school and hospital at University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley. Governor Abbott then calls on the VA to
“take steps now to leverage the investments that Texas is already making.”
View the full text of the letter here.