Senators in Colorado to scrutinize over-budget VA hospital

Leaders of the U.S. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee are traveling to Colorado to ask why the VA hospital under construction in suburban Denver is more than $1 billion over budget.

The committee’s Republican chairman and its top-ranking Democrat will tour the half-finished complex in Aurora Friday and then hold a hearing.

Also attending will be Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner and Rep. Mike Coffman.

VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson is scheduled to testify.

The hospital is expected to cost $1.73 billion, up from $630 million estimated last year.

The VA has asked Congress for another $830 million to finish the complex. It wants to take the money from a $5 billion fund Congress approved to improve veterans’ access to care.

Some lawmakers are promising to fight that plan.