La Feria official pitch hospital plan to lawmakers

Brownsville Herald
April 17, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. - La Feria City Manager Sunny Philip said he's optimistic that talks with lawmakers this week could land a proposed veterans hospital in his city.

Philip, Mayor Pro-Tem Lori Weaver and Brad Shields, president of the La Feria Industrial Development Corp., traveled here Monday to pitch their plan to build a hospital in La Feria.

City officials believe the city's location in the middle of the Rio Grande Valley is one of its selling points.

Philip said he will hold a news conference on the meetings with lawmakers next week.

Wednesday, Philip and city leaders met with U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

"They presented a great proposal and the congressman applauds their efforts to come up with a solution to our veterans' health care needs," said Elizabeth Esfahani, Hinojosa's spokeswoman.

Cornyn said he would take the city's proposal to the Department of Veterans Affairs, his spokeswoman Jessica Ferguson said.

"Sen. Cornyn was very supportive of the proposal and pledged to help them carry their message to the VA," she said.

City leaders also met with representatives of U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi.

"It looks like a good idea," Danny Guerra, Ortiz's spokesman, said of the city's proposal. "They presented details of the proposal to work with the VA to construct a medical center down in La Feria."

La Feria leaders were also expected to meet with officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Guerra said.

"The issue is, they have our support in trying to convey to the VA that this is something we need," Guerra said.

"A lot of (veterans) travel five hours to San Antonio to get health care," he said. "There's a substantial population of veterans here that need more health care. The congressman has been very, very supportive to get more facilities for veterans in South Texas."

Hutchison said she met with La Feria leaders "to discuss the health care needs of veterans in South Texas."

"I will continue working to improve and expand access to health care for South Texas veterans," Hutchison said in the statement.

In Brownsville, Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos said he learned about La Feria's proposal Wednesday.

"I wish them the best," Cascos said. "If the VA determines that La Feria has a good proposal, that's great for La Feria and great for Cameron County and great for veterans."

Lawmakers will determine whether a veterans hospital will be built at a site such as La Feria, said Diana Struski, spokeswoman for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C.