December 18, 2007 – Congress is moving to block the Department of Veterans Affairs from commercially developing its West Los Angeles Medical Center site.
The 388-acre property between Westwood and Brentwood contains a veterans hospital and other facilities, as well as many undeveloped acres in a densely developed area.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has sought to develop or lease some of the area, but Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rep. Henry Waxman and other California officials want it to remain as-is so other veterans facilities could be built there.
The Bush administration had argued that disposal of the land could generate more than $4 billion in revenue, which could be used to improve other veterans’ facilities around the country.
A measure by Feinstein to block development of the land is part of a catchall year-end spending bill passed by the House on Monday and expected to pass the Senate.
