Vet home upgrades bipartisan success

Thanks to bipartisan effort, Missouri's veterans will see renovations in their veterans homes. Cape Girardeau's veterans will also benefit from improvements to its facility, as it, too, is slated to receive a major overhaul.

Included in the enhancements will be the replacement of such things as

"the nurse call and fire alarm systems, boilers, water heaters, sump pump, hot water circulating pumps and the exterior doors," according to a recent Southeast Missourian article covering Governor Nixon's seal of approval on the proposed bills.

Nixon was unable to affix his signature at the Cape Girardeau home as was previously expected; however, he is on record as pushing for these improvements that will see to it that those who have served our country well will themselves be well-served in the places they now call home. Praising the legislators for approving the additional bonding required to make this possible, he stated, "I appreciate the bipartisan fashion in which they accomplished this. And because of the strong AAA credit rating that reflects our strong record of fiscal responsibility, Missouri taxpayers are going to save up to $30 million over the life of those bonds."

The number of veterans residing in veterans homes is expected to increase, and those who are soon to call these facilities home, as well as those already living there, deserve to be in safe places that demonstrate our commitment to them and our appreciation for the sacrifice of their service. In today's political climate, unity among both sides of the political aisle is rare. How refreshing it is when it does happen, as with this important legislation.

Nixon stated in a news release, "We need to ensure our veterans receive the best care we can provide." We agree. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has come under fire for being negligent and downright dangerous in its health care treatment of our veterans, sparking investigations and staffing shake-ups. Here in Cape, we are proud that Missouri lawmakers are paying attention to veterans and keeping their well-being at the forefront of their agendas.