Thursday, February 28, 2008
Governor Culver Announces $27 Million Federal Veterans Home Grant
Grant Will be Used for Phase One of Construction of State-of-the-Art Veterans Home in Marshalltown
MARSHALLTOWN – Today, Governor Chet Culver announced a $26.765 million grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to be used towards phase one of the construction of an expanded and renovated, state-of-the-art Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.
Governor Culver’s Fiscal Year 2009 budget included $20 million in state funding for the three final phases of the proposed new Iowa Veterans Home facilities. The State had already appropriated approximately $15 million in state matching funds for phase one. When leveraged with federal funding, the over-all project will total $100 million and the Iowa Veterans Home will be one of the best in the nation. These dollars will be used to build a 132-bed nursing home, a 60-bed pavilion, and complete the master plan for the Veterans Home.
“We have budgeted significant state resources for this new Iowa Veterans Home, and I am very pleased the federal government is also committed to seeing this project completed,” said Governor Culver. “Iowa’s veterans are our heroes, and they deserve a state-of-the art veterans home to provide some of the best care in the nation.”
According to a letter from James Burris, Chief Consultant of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Burris wrote: “I am pleased to advise you that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will have sufficient funds to participate in a grant to replace the Sheeler & Loftus Building at the State Veterans Home in Marshalltown, Iowa. We anticipate that these funds will remain available until September 20, 2008.”
Completing the expansion and renovation of the veterans home will further show Iowa veterans the State of Iowa thanks them for their service and will support them when they return home. In 2007, the Governor signed legislation that provided financial assistance to returning veterans injured in combat, made it easier for veterans to purchase their first house, and delivered the war bonus promised to all who served in Vietnam.
In addition, Governor Culver’s first Executive Order – signed in January, 2007 – established that Iowa’s flags would be lowered to half staff on the day of a fallen soldier’s funeral.