The full Senate adopted legislation sponsored by Senator Steve Oroho supporting the establishment of the first Sussex County-based outpatient medical clinic for veterans.

An outpatient clinic maintained by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (VA)

“Sussex and Warren counties are the only two counties in the state without a veterans’ outpatient clinic and for many veterans living in this area the closest in-state clinic is more than 40 miles away in Morris Plains,” said Oroho (R-Sussex, Warren, Morris). “The lack of access to local medical care for veterans is a major obstacle and a serious concern. Establishing a local clinic in Sussex County will make it far easier for the tens of thousands of veterans living here to get the care that they need and deserve.”

Absence of local clinic for veterans is a concern. Sussex, Warren only NJ counties w/out veterans outpatient clinic http://t.co/y4MMCcP7q0

— Senator Steven Oroho (@stevenoroho) July 23, 2015

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimated in 2014 that about 50,000 veterans lived in Sussex County and the surrounding areas. Senator Oroho’s Senate Resolution 114 supports the establishment of a federal Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Sussex County. In New Jersey, the effort has bipartisan support from elected officials on the federal, state and local level.

“The need for outpatient medical services for veterans in Sussex and Warren counties is only going to increase as younger veterans continue to return home,” Oroho added. “We owe it to these men and women to provide the best care possible. I hope this overwhelming show of support in the legislature will spur the Department of Veterans Affairs to take action on establishing a local clinic for the dedicated veterans in this region.”

The identical legislation, AR-213, is sponsored in the General Assembly by Assemblyman Parker Space and Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose (both R-Sussex, Warren, Morris), and Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex).