It was announced yesterday that all three of Minnesota’s new State Veterans Homes will receive federal funding this year. The project includes homes in three locations: Bemidji, Montevideo, and Preston. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, these three projects are currently slated to receive more than $80 million in federal VA funds.  

Senator Andrew Lang (R-Olivia) released the following statement commemorating the occasion:

“Securing this funding was the last piece needed to get these homes built, and I’m glad the federal funding finally came through,” said Sen. Lang. “I’ve been pushing for this funding since I joined the Senate, because there were minimal, if any, beds for veterans in these cities and surrounding areas—in Montevideo we had none. These three communities have been working for over a decade to see these projects through, and it’s remarkable to see their hard work finally being recognized.”

In 2018, the Legislature’s Bonding bill included $33 million in state funding for these veteran homes, and a resolution was authored in 2019 calling on the federal government to fund their share of the projects.

“A lot of hard work has been put into these projects. The Legislature approved their fair share of the funding in 2018, and in 2019 we approved plans to spend federal grant funds for the construction of the homes. It took longer than anticipated, but we finally got it done. Our veterans have done so much for our country, and their sacrifice and selflessness should be recognized and honored,” finished Sen. Lang.