VA: Cut spending or delay projects to finish Denver hospital

The Veterans Affairs Department is offering Congress two ways to come up with the money to finish a budget-busting medical center under construction in suburban Denver: Agency-wide spending cuts of nearly 1 percent, or shifting funds from dozens of projects planned in other states.

The VA submitted the proposal Friday. Key lawmakers were reviewing it, and some had no immediate comment.

The hospital is expected to cost up to $1.73 billion, nearly three times the estimate given last year.

The VA first asked for another $830 million to finish but said it could cut that to $625 million by scaling it back and by shuffling money in its current budget.

Unless Congress and the VA reach a deal, construction could stop in mid-June when the current spending limit is reached.