The House today passed an amendment cosponsored by U.S. Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) to eliminate the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission, which recently recommended the shuttering of numerous Veterans Affairs (VA) clinics nationwide. From the outset Congressman Pascrell fought to save the VA clinics from closure, including the Paterson Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) which serves thousands of New Jersey veterans. Pascrell helped establish the Paterson clinic and vowed to do everything in his power to prevent its termination.

“Today my colleagues and I in the House put a nail in the coffin to reject the misguided recommendations of the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission to close down VA clinics in North Jersey and across America,” said Congressman Pascrell. “Now more than ever we should be increasing veterans’ access to health services, not closing down facilities they rely on. I fought hard to open the Paterson CBOC for North Jersey’s veterans and I’ll be damned if any commission is going to shut it down on my watch. Our North Jersey vets will always have an ally in me.”

Congressman Pascrell cosponsored the amendment authored by Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA-02) to eliminate the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission, a copy of which is available here. This measure passed by voice vote and is now included in the NDAA for FY23.