Utah Vets Pleased With House Decision

None by Eric Ray

(KCPW News) Approximately 200 Utah veterans were on hand yesterday to watch the state's House of Representatives approve spending $19.7 million to build a veterans' nursing home in Ogden. As expected, those vets were extremely happy.

"I was pleased as punch. We've been working for this and needing it for a long time," says Cliff Porter, a 20 year Navy veteran who served in Vietnam. "An added bed in the state of Utah means all those veterans waiting to get into Salt Lake now will have some place to get into."

Porter adds the vote was a morale boost for veterans of past wars, and for soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan for whom there will be future benefits.

Doug Larson, Post Commander of VFW 1481 in Ogden, also a 20 year Navy veteran, is pleased with the House vote, but knows the legislative process hasn't run its full course.

"We're really excited [the vote] was unanimous. This means an awful lot to us. We've been working really hard with the local community to ensure this happens. We've got one more step to go," says Larson.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 75 to 0, and the Senate will now consider it. The bill not only provides $19.7 million toward construction of a nursing home in Ogden, it also prevents the legislature from funding any future veterans' nursing homes until the state is reimbursed for building this one.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom, Legislative Coverage, and 2008 Legislative Coverage. Copyright 2008 KCPW