WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has approved $15.6 million conditional funding for the New Mexico State Veterans' Home in Truth or Consequences to construct a new 59-bed facility. The construction and expansion project includes 39 Alzheimer's beds, a 20 bed Skilled Nursing Unit, a new rehabilitation section for inpatient and outpatient services, and a new pool. The N.M. State Veterans' Home must complete items the VA has outlined as requirements for final grant award approval within 180 days from the date they received notification of the conditional funding approval.

The conditionally awarded funding is available through the VA's State Home Construction Grant Program, which provides matching grant funds for renovation and construction of state veterans homes and adult day care facilities. The VA matches 65 percent of the project costs, and states fund the remaining 35 percent. The N.M. State Veterans' Home