December 9, 2025 3:40 a.m.
Last week, U.S. Representative Val Hoyle testified before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, urging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Congress to fully fund the Roseburg State Veterans Home, and strengthen the State Veterans Construction Grant Program.
Hoyle claims that program has been chronically underfunded and has delayed critical care for rural veterans. Representative Hoyle said, “Veterans in my district have been advocating for this home since 2011. Our veterans have served, sacrificed, and shown the ultimate commitment to our country. In return, it is our responsibility to make sure they are taken care of and can get the health care they need.”
Representative Hoyle said her district is home to more veterans than any other district in the state, many of whom live in rural and remote communities. Hoyle said the lack of a state veterans’ home in Roseburg has forced veterans and families to travel long distances or go without needed long-term care.
The release said under the State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program, states are required to provide 35 percent of project funding, with the VA responsible for the remaining share. The Oregon State Legislature has repeatedly secured state matching funds, including in 2011 and again in 2024. Despite the state’s preparedness, Hoyle said the Roseburg application has been repeatedly overlooked, causing project costs to rise due to inflation and construction delays. The current state funding is set to expire in 2027, creating added urgency for immediate federal action.
Representative Hoyle believes that Congress has underfunded the State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program by nearly $1 billion, limiting the VA’s ability to approve new construction and forcing the agency to prioritize smaller repair and renovation projects instead.
The release said to address these shortfalls, Representative Hoyle submitted an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act to increase funding for the program. However, Hoyle claims that House Rules Committee Republicans blocked the amendment from receiving a vote.
Hoyle said, “I call on my colleagues on the House Veterans Affairs Committee to work with the VA to prioritize the State Veterans Hone Construction Grant Program and ensure that aging veterans across the country can live with the dignity they’ve earned and deserve”.