The Veterans Administration said Friday it will spend $800 million to repair or improve health care facilities across the nation, including improvements to the Tucson VA Medical Center.
At the Tucson VA, officials said they would replace the roofs for five buildings -- the four main buildings at the center of campus and the admissions building.
The VA said it will also update the water systems at the East and South Campus.
The VA said it will "realign an additional $800 million" this fiscal year for infrastructure improvements to health care facilities to "ensure safe and effective patient care," as part of Veterans Health Administration's Non-Recurring Maintenance program.
"This is another step forward in our efforts to make VA work better for the Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors we are charged with serving," said VA Secretary Doug Collins. "Improved facilities, equipment and infrastructure help improve care for Veterans, and these additional funds will enable VA to achieve that goal."
The agency said the funding is "savings gleaned from various VHA reform efforts," and the move will bring the total spending on non-recurring maintenance to $2.8 billion, an increase of around $500 million from fiscal year 2024.
Earlier this year, the VA said it was on pace to eliminate nearly 30,000 employees through the federal hiring freeze, resignations, retirements and attrition. The VA said the reductions do not impact veteran care or benefits.
However, there are signs the dueling priorities of the Trump administration -- slashing Department of Veterans Affairs staff while improving care -- means some hospitals are struggling to replace hundreds of doctors and nurses. While the VA added medical staff over the last six years, the agency is down more than 600 doctors and about 1,900 nurses, ProPublica reported.
The number of doctors has declined each month this year, and the agency lost twice as many nurses as it hired between January and June, according to records viewed by ProPublica.
Further, by September, the VA may lose thousands more employees because the Trump administration asked workers to resign in January.
On January 28, the Trump administration told workers they could resign and receive full pay and benefits through the end of September, or stay and face potential layoffs during the first "chaotic months" of the Trump administration, the War Horse reported. Most of the people work in human resources, information technology, and other administrative jobs, however nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and psychologist "were also on the list."
The VA said the infrastructure improvements are part of larger effort to improve veterans' care. The agency said waiting for VA benefits is down more than 37 percent since January, and the agency is "processing record numbers of disability claims."
The agency also made one million appointments "outside of normal operating hours. These early-morning, evening, and weekend appointments are giving Veterans more timely and convenient options for care." The VA said it has made it "easier and faster" for veterans to access care from non-VA providers at the department's expense.
The agency also said it has opened 16 new health care clinics across the nation this year.