Improving Care for Marianas Veterans
Right before Super Typhoon Sinlaku reached our islands, staff from the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee traveled to Saipan. I invited the Committee to the Northern Marianas to begin earnestly advancing the establishment of a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in the CNMI. Every state and territory already has a CBOC. The CNMI remains the only exception, an unacceptable gap that continues to disadvantage veterans who have served our nation with honor. No veteran should have to board a plane or travel thousands of miles to access necessary medical care. They deserve dependable, local access to the services they’ve earned. This visit marks an important first step, and I want to thank the Committee staff for making the long journey to see firsthand the challenges our veterans face. Establishing our CBOC will take time, but I am committed to seeing it through and ensuring that our vets receive the care and services they deserve.