U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-La.) today said that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has delayed construction for a new Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Lake Charles, La. Vitter says the delays are unacceptable and is scheduling a call with VA Secretary Robert McDonald to discuss the delays.

“These delays are nothing short of tragic. The VA is in complete disarray, and their incompetence comes at the expense of our veterans,” Vitter said. “We owe it to our veterans to provide them with the best and most accessible care possible, and our fight won’t end until this clinic is up and running.”

Vitter and Congressman Charles Boustany (R-La.) last week followed up with Secretary McDonald calling attention to the immediate need for a clinic in Lake Charles. VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson visited Louisiana in February at the urging of Vitter and Boustany.

Vitter secured language authorizing both the Lafayette and Lake Charles clinics in the Senate’s veterans legislation last year. Vitter started working to authorize the Lake Charles and Lafayette VA clinics in 2010. Vitter pushed for unanimous consent for his legislation authorizing the stalled VA clinics on six separate occasions last year: February 27, 2014, March 11, 2014, March 26, 2014, April 2, 2014, April 9, 2014, and May 7, 2014. The VA announced delays of construction deadlines for new veterans’ health clinics in Lafayette and Lake Charles in December 2014.