Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins, a member of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Subcommittee, and Angus King announced today that the State of Maine will receive up to $2,705,671.57 for a renovation and expansion project currently underway at the Maine Veterans’ Home facility in Bangor. The funding was awarded through the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) State Home Construction Grant Program.
“Maine Veterans’ Homes provide veterans with the high-quality care and support they have earned through their service to our country,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “We are delighted that the VA will help fund the much-needed renovation and expansion of the Maine Veterans’ Home in Bangor. These improvements will modernize the facility, provide residents with a comfortable living space, and create a safe and efficient working environment for employees.”
The funding provided by the VA will partially reimburse the State of Maine for the cost of a fifty-four week renovation of the Maine Veterans’ Home in Bangor that began in January. The project involves renovating a 20,000-square-foot skilled nursing unit and adding 5,000 square feet to expand the 40-bed unit. Upon completion, the Bangor facility will be equipped with a state-of-the-art nurses station and a new short-order kitchen and serving area.
In May, Senators Collins and King sent a letter along with 26 bipartisan Senators to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the MilCon-VA Appropriations Subcommittee, requesting robust funding to address a growing backlog of construction and renovation projects at State Veterans Homes across the country.