On Thursday, a resolution co-authored by Senator Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids) asking the United States federal government to honor veterans by funding its portion of construction costs for proposed veterans homes in Bemidji, Montevideo, and Preston was heard in the Senate’s Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs.

Over $31 million in state funding has already been secured for the three veterans homes when the 2018 bonding bill was passed, but the homes still face hurdles and deadlines before they secure their crucial federal funding match.

“If you look at the regions impacted by these rural veterans homes, you’ll quickly notice that all three contain a higher percentage of older veterans than anywhere else the state,” Sen. Paul Utke. “That population will only continue to age, and with that, will only require more support. It’s unfair to them and their families that as their needs increase they continue to sit in a blackout zone for care options with their only remedy being two to three hours away. By getting the feds to recognize and honor a commitment that we’ve already made in the state we can all honor our Minnesota veterans and give them the care and comfort that their sacrifices deserve.”

The 2018 bonding bill provided $12.4 million in state funding specifically for construction of the Bemidji veterans home with the construction of the home to proceed on the north side of Bemidji, on land donated by Sanford Health. The plan from there was to secure federal grants by September 2020 and to have the project completed by or before October 2025.

Currently, the closest veterans home in the region is located in Fergus Falls, a 128-mile drive from Bemidji making the northcentral Minnesota’s veterans population one of the least served populations in the state. When completed, the project is anticipated to serve nearly 26,802 of Minnesota’s veterans.